President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has praised the All Progressives Congress (APC) for winning four out of five legislative by-elections held across Nigeria on Saturday. The by-elections took place in Gombe, Kano, Bauchi, and Delta states, covering one federal constituency and four state constituencies. According to Tinubu, the APC's victory demonstrates Nigerians' continued support for his administration's reforms.
The APC candidates who emerged victorious were Kallamu MaiJama'a for Gombe/Kwami/Funakaye Federal Constituency in Gombe State, Husseini Datti for Dawakin Kudu State Constituency in Kano State, Okolosi Ator for Udu State Constituency in Delta State, and Yakubu Ali for Disina State Constituency in Bauchi State. The Allied Peoples Movement (APM) secured the remaining seat in Bauchi State, with Adamu Yakubu winning the Sakwa State Constituency seat.
Tinubu congratulated the winners and urged them to see their victories as a mandate for service. He encouraged them to justify the confidence reposed in them by their constituents through diligent and effective representation. The President also appealed to candidates who lost the elections to accept the results in good faith and continue to contribute to Nigeria's democratic process.
The President commended voters and security agencies for maintaining peace and order during the exercise. He praised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for conducting the polls but urged the commission to address shortcomings identified during the by-elections ahead of future electoral exercises. INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, noted that the by-elections were important tests of the commission's preparedness for the general elections.
According to results from the polls, MaiJama'a polled 41,121 votes in Gombe/Kwami/Funakaye, while Datti secured 22,890 votes in Dawakin Kudu. Ator won Udu with 8,724 votes, and Ali polled 5,846 votes to take Disina. In Sakwa, Yakubu secured 8,515 votes to give the APM its sole victory.
Tinubu expressed confidence that the benefits of his administration's economic reforms would become more evident as Nigeria moves forward. He urged Nigerians to remain steadfast and not be swayed by political opportunism. The President's Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, released a statement on Sunday, quoting Tinubu's reaction to the by-elections.
The by-elections were seen as a test of the APC's popularity and the government's reform agenda. With the general elections approaching, the outcome of the by-elections is expected to have implications for the country's political landscape. Key to the APC's victory was its ability to mobilize support at the grassroots level, a development Tinubu attributed to Nigerians' confidence in the party's capacity to govern and deliver shared prosperity.
Key points
- APC won four out of five legislative by-elections in Nigeria
- President Tinubu attributed the victory to Nigerians' confidence in the party's reform agenda
- The by-elections were seen as a test of the APC's popularity ahead of the general elections
