The All Progressives Congress (APC) has secured a majority of the seats in Saturday’s by-elections conducted across 16 federal and state constituencies in 12 states, according to results announced so far by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The elections, held to replace lawmakers who died or resigned after the 2023 general elections, were marred by reports of vote buying, violence and irregularities. Both the APC and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have called on INEC to cancel the by-elections in Kano State’s Shanono/Bagwai and Ghari constituencies, citing malpractices and intimidation.
As of Sunday morning, results show that the APC won 12 of the 16 seats across nine states. All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) secured two seats in Anambra, PDP won one seat in Oyo, and New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) claimed one seat in Kano States.
While APC swept most of the seats, PDP retained a foothold in Oyo and placed second in many contests, while APGA consolidated its dominance in Anambra State under the leadership of Governor Charles Soludo.
The results also reflect a trend of ruling parties consolidating power in their states, except in Adamawa and Taraba States, where the APC upset the PDP in Ganye and Karim constituencies, respectively.
The elections also show that the coalition adopted party, African Democratic Congress (ADC), is struggling to gain traction.
State-by-state results
Kano
NNPP won the Bagwai/Shanono State Assembly by-election through Ali Lawal Alhassan, who got 16,198 votes to defeat APC’s candidate, Abdullahi Ahmed Muhammed, who received 5,347 votes.
In the Ghari/Tsanyawa state constituency, APC’s Garba Gwarmai won with 31,472 votes against NNPP’s Yusuf Maigado, who scored 27,931.
Kaduna
In Chikun/Kajuru federal constituency, APC’s Fidelix Bagudu scored 34,580 votes to defeat his rivals from the PDP and ADC, who polled 11,491 and 3,477 votes respectively.
In the Basawa constituency, INEC declared Dahiru Umar-Sani of the APC as the winner of the state assembly seat.
Umar-Sani secured 10,996 votes to defeat his closest rival, Muazu Danyaro of the PDP, who scored 5,499 votes. Trailing the APC and PDP is DanBala Usman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), who scored 811, and Mahmuda Almustapha of the ADC, who polled 146 votes.
Elsewhere in Zaria Kewaye, INEC announced Isa Mohammed of the APC as the winner of the state assembly election.
Mohammed secured 26,613 votes, defeating SDP’s Nuhu Muazu, who polled 5,721 and PDP’s Mahmud Wappa, who scored 5,331.
Ogun
INEC declared APC’s Adesola Elegbeji as the winner of Saturday’s Remo Federal constituency by-election.
Mrs. Elegbeji won with 41,237 votes to finish ahead of PDP’s Bolarinwa Oluwole, who scored 14,324.
Anambra
INEC announced Ifeoma Azikiwe as the winner of the Onitsha North Constituency I in the state House of Assembly.
Announcing the results in Onitsha, the INEC Returning Officer, Ibiam Ekpe disclosed that Azikiwe of APGA scored 7,774 votes to defeat her closest rival, Justina Azuka of ADC, who polled 1,909 votes.
The candidates of the APC, Ezennia Ojekwe and the Young Progressives Party, Njideka Ndiwe, respectively scored 1,371 and 655 votes.
Kogi
In the Okura constituency, APC’s Hassan Shado secured 55,073 votes to defeat his closest rival from the PDP, who polled 1,038 votes. The candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement came third with 445 votes.
Jigawa
APC’s Rabiu Mukhtar won in Garki/Babura federal constituency.
Mukhtar of the APC polled 38,449 votes to defeat his main rival, Isah Auwalu of the PDP, who got 13,519 votes.
NNPP’s Sabo Salisu received 2,931 votes while Muktar Babangida of Zenith Labour Party got 31 votes.
Edo
INEC declared APC’s Omosede Igbinedion winner of the Ovia federal constituency by-election.
Igbinedion scored a total of 77,053 votes to defeat her challengers from the PDP and ADC, who respectively scored 3,838 and 925 votes.
In the Edo Central senatorial election, INEC also declared APC’s Joseph Ikpea as the winner of the election.
]Ikpea, who secured a total of 105,129 votes to defeat the PDP’s Joe Okojie, who polled 15,146 votes, will replace Governor Monday Okphebolo, who occupied that seat until he resigned last year to contest the state’s governorship election.
Niger
The APC candidate, Dogari Daje, won Saturday’s by-election to fill Munya’s constituency seat in the state House of Assembly.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports on Sunday that Daje polled a total of 12,556 votes to defeat PDP’s Sabon Sunday, who scored 5,646 votes.
Adamawa
APC’s Misa Musa narrowly won 15,923 votes to beat his opponent, Buba Muhammad of the PDP, who polled 15,794.
The ADC got 42 votes, APGA 14, AAC 17, and AA 2 votes.
Taraba
INEC declared Abner Shittu of the APC as the winner of the Karim I state constituency by-election.
The APC candidate polled 5,901 to defeat PDP’s Ali Kanda, who got 5,527.
ADC’s Badina Garba scored 2,069 votes to finish a distant third.
Zamfara
INEC declared the by-election in the state inconclusive after cancellations in Sakajiki and Kambarawa wards
The Returning Officer, Lawal Sa’adu of the Federal University Gusau, said that the total number of registered voters in the affected polling units stood at 5,446, while 3,265 Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) were collected in those areas.
He explained that the APC scored 7,001 votes, while the PDP scored 5,339 votes, leaving a margin of 1,662 votes.
Sa’adu stated that the margin was less than the total number of PVCs collected in the cancelled polling units; therefore, the election cannot be concluded.
The electoral umpire cited Sections 24 subsection 2 & 3, Section 47 subsection 3, and Section 51 subsection 2 of the Electoral Act 2022 as reasons for declaring the election inconclusive.
Enugu South Urban Constituency was stalled again amid tensions, marking the fourth failed attempt to conclude the exercise, the The Guardian reported.
Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu has congratulated the winners of Saturday’s by-elections held in 16 constituencies across 12 states.
