The All Progressives Congress (APC) has won four out of five seats in Nigeria's legislative bye-elections, which took place on Saturday across Gombe, Kano, Bauchi, and Delta states. The bye-elections were held in five constituencies: Gombe/Kwami/Funakaye Federal Constituency in Gombe State, Dawakin Kudu State Constituency in Kano, Disina and Sakwa State Constituencies in Bauchi, and Udu State Constituency in Delta. The APC won seats in Gombe, Kano, Bauchi, and Delta, while the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) won in Sakwa State Constituency of Bauchi.
In Gombe, APC candidate Usman Maijama'a Kallamu won the Gombe/Kwami/Funakaye Federal Constituency seat with 41,121 votes, beating Labour Party (LP) candidate who scored 3,553 votes. The election, which covered 903 polling units, had a total of 47,301 votes cast, with 46,551 valid votes and 750 rejected votes. The APC's victory in Gombe was seen as a significant win for the party, with reports of uneven turnout across some polling units.
In Kano, APC candidate Hussaini Yusuf-Datti won the Dawakin Kudu State Constituency election with 22,890 votes, while the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) came second with 270 votes. Notably, two opposition parties, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), did not participate in the poll due to internal issues and strategic considerations ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Bauchi produced contrasting outcomes in the two constituencies that held elections. In Disina State Constituency, APC candidate Yakubu Ali won with 5,846 votes, while the APM came second with 5,225 votes. However, in Sakwa State Constituency, the APM's Adamu Yakubu won with 8,515 votes, defeating the APC which scored 3,771 votes.
In Delta, APC candidate Okolosi Ator won the Udu State Constituency bye-election with 8,724 votes, beating PDP candidate George Biatere Orugbo who scored 214 votes. The election was held following the declaration of the Udu seat vacant after its former occupant, Collins Egbetamah, defected from the APC to the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).
The APC's victory has generated reactions, particularly over what the bye-elections indicate about the political landscape ahead of the 2027 general elections. Aviation and Aerospace Development Minister, Festus Keyamo, described the APC's four victories as significant, pointing to the spread of the wins across three geopolitical zones. Keyamo noted that the constitutional requirement for a presidential candidate to secure at least 25 per cent of votes in two-thirds of the states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory would be crucial in the 2027 presidential election.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has described the bye-elections as an opportunity to examine its operational preparedness ahead of the 2027 general election. INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, said the commission would use the experience to audit its logistics, stress-test its technological deployment, and evaluate administrative readiness in the field. The commission's performance in the bye-elections will be crucial in determining its readiness for the 2027 general elections.
Key points
- APC won four out of five seats in Nigeria's legislative bye-elections.
- The bye-elections were held across Gombe, Kano, Bauchi, and Delta states.
- The APC's victory has generated reactions about the political landscape ahead of the 2027 general elections.
