The All Progressives Congress (APC) secured four out of five legislative seats in the recent bye-elections conducted in Gombe, Kano, Bauchi, and Delta states. The elections, which took place on September 19, 2026, were conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and comprised one House of Representatives constituency and four State House of Assembly constituencies. The APC victories were recorded in the Gombe/Kwami/Funakaye Federal Constituency of Gombe State, Dawakin Kudu State Constituency in Kano, Disina State Constituency in Bauchi, and Udu State Constituency in Delta.
In Gombe state, APC candidate Usman Maijama’a Kallamu won the Gombe/Kwami/Funakaye Federal Constituency bye-election with 41,121 votes, defeating the Labour Party candidate who polled 3,553 votes. The Allied Peoples Movement (APM) secured 872 votes, while the New Nigeria Democratic Party recorded 707 votes. The election was conducted across 903 polling units in 31 Registration Areas covering Gombe, Kwami, and Funakaye local government areas. Kallamu emerged to fill the federal legislative seat left vacant following the death of former representative Yaya Bauchi Tongo.
In Kano state, APC candidate Hussaini Yusuf-Datti won the Dawakin Kudu State Constituency bye-election with 22,890 votes, securing a commanding victory over his closest challenger, Habib Hamisu of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), who secured only 270 votes. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate polled 108 votes, while other candidates secured a combined total of 251 votes. The election became necessary after the former occupant of the State Assembly seat, Shuaibu Rabiu Nagoggo, moved to the House of Representatives.
Bauchi state presented a mixed outcome, with the APC winning the Disina State Constituency bye-election and the APM securing victory in the Sakwa State Constituency. In Disina, APC candidate Yakubu Ali emerged victorious after polling 5,846 votes, defeating the APM candidate who came a close second with 5,225 votes. However, in Sakwa, APM candidate Adamu Yakubu emerged winner after polling 8,515 votes, defeating the APC candidate who secured 3,771 votes.
In Delta state, APC candidate Okolosi Ator won the Udu State Constituency bye-election with 8,724 votes, securing a wide margin over the PDP candidate who polled 214 votes. The election was, however, not without challenges, as technical issues were reported during the exercise, including problems with the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS). Ator was declared elected after the collation of results at Otu Jeremi, the headquarters of Udu Local Government Area.
The results of the bye-elections have provided valuable insights into the political dynamics in the affected areas as preparations intensify for the 2027 general elections. INEC Chairman, Prof Joash Amupitan, noted that the bye-elections would provide important operational lessons for the commission as it prepares for the 2027 general elections. The APC’s victories demonstrate its continued dominance in some states, while the APM’s victory in Sakwa constituency shows that the ruling party can still face competitive contests at the constituency level.
The bye-elections also highlighted the varying levels of competition across the different constituencies. While the APC won by wide margins in Gombe and Kano, the Disina contest in Bauchi was considerably closer, with only 621 votes separating the APC and APM candidates. The Sakwa constituency produced the biggest upset, with the APM candidate defeating the APC by a margin of 4,744 votes. These outcomes demonstrate the complex and dynamic nature of Nigerian politics.
Key points
- APC won four out of five legislative seats in the bye-elections
- APM secured a significant victory in the Sakwa State Constituency in Bauchi state
- The bye-elections provided valuable lessons for INEC ahead of the 2027 general elections
