The All Progressives Congress (APC) has won four out of five legislative by-elections held across Gombe, Kano, Bauchi, and Delta states on September 19, 2026. The by-elections were conducted in five constituencies, including Gombe/Kwami/Funakaye Federal Constituency, Dawakin Kudu State Constituency, Disina and Sakwa State Constituencies, and Udu State Constituency. The APC's victories have sparked debate about its chances in the 2027 general elections.
In Gombe, the APC's Usman-Kallamu Maijama'a won the Gombe/Kwami/Funakaye Federal Constituency by-election with 41,121 votes, defeating the Labour Party and Allied Peoples Movement. Similarly, in Kano, APC candidate Husseini Datti won the Dawakin Kudu State Constituency by-election with 22,890 votes, while in Delta, Okolosi Ator of the APC won the Udu State Constituency contest with 8,724 votes. In Bauchi, the APC's Yakubu Ali won the Disina State Constituency election with 5,846 votes.
However, the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) secured a victory in the Sakwa State Constituency in Zaki Local Government Area of Bauchi State, with Adamu Yakubu defeating the APC with 8,515 votes. The APM's victory is significant, considering that Governor Bala Mohammed defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to the APM. This has led to arguments that Mohammed demonstrated his political mettle with the APM's victory.
Analysts have noted that the by-elections showcased the fragmentation of opposition parties, which could affect electoral competition. Musa Maishanu, an analyst in the North-East, identified the lack of ideologically driven politics as a factor in the opposition's inability to challenge the ruling party. Cliff Stanley, a Gombe-based political analyst and strategist, warned that by-elections should not be treated as a definitive forecast of the 2027 general elections.
The low voter turnout in the by-elections has also raised concerns. The INEC National Commissioner supervising the North-East, Rear Admiral Jamila Abubakar-Sadiq, expressed concern about turnout while monitoring the Gombe/Kwami/Funakaye Federal Constituency election. Analysts note that low turnout can magnify the organisational advantage of parties with strong mobilisation structures.
The deployment of technology, including the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), was also scrutinised during the by-elections. While the BVAS worked efficiently in some areas, there were glitches and delays in others. The outcome of the by-elections has sparked debate about the APC's chances in the 2027 general elections and the state of Nigeria's opposition parties.
The APC's victories in the by-elections have been seen as a demonstration of its unshakeable strength ahead of the 2027 elections. However, analysts argue that the results should not be taken as a definitive forecast of the 2027 general elections. The opposition's fragmentation and low voter turnout are key challenges that need to be addressed ahead of the 2027 elections.
Key points
- The APC won four out of five legislative by-elections held across Gombe, Kano, Bauchi, and Delta states on September 19, 2026.
- The by-elections showcased the fragmentation of opposition parties, which could affect electoral competition.
- Low voter turnout and deployment of technology were key challenges during the by-elections.
