The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has concluded five legislative by-elections across four states in Nigeria. The elections, which took place on September 19, 2026, involved one federal constituency and four state constituencies. The All Progressives Congress (APC) won four seats, while the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) secured one seat. According to INEC, the elections were conducted to fill vacancies in the National Assembly and state houses of assembly.
In Gombe State, the APC candidate, Kallamu Usman MaiJama’a, won the Gombe/Kwami/Funakaye Federal Constituency by-election with 41,121 votes. The Labour Party candidate polled 3,553 votes, while the APM recorded 872 votes. The APC also won the Udu State Constituency seat in Delta State, where its candidate, Okolosi Ator, secured 8,724 votes. His closest challenger, the PDP candidate, scored 214 votes. The results reflected an early lead recorded by the APC during the collation of results from polling units across the constituency.
The APC also won the Dawakin Kudu State Constituency election in Kano State, with its candidate, Husseini Datti, emerging victorious after securing 22,890 votes. The Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) polled 270 votes, while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) received 108 votes. In Bauchi State, the APC won one of the two state constituencies contested, with its candidate, Yakubu Ali, defeating his rivals in the Disina State Constituency by-election with 5,846 votes.
The APM, however, secured the Sakwa State Constituency seat in Zaki Local Government Area, with its candidate, Adamu Yakubu, polling 8,515 votes. The APC came second with 3,771 votes, followed by the PDP with 2,076 and the PRP with 727 votes. The elections were generally peaceful in areas visited, with INEC officials supervising voting, sorting, and collation of results.
INEC Chairman, Prof Joash Amupitan, described the by-elections as important tests of the commission’s preparedness for the 2027 general elections. He said the elections provided the commission with an opportunity to assess its electoral infrastructure and operational readiness across multiple states. Amupitan added that the commission would use the exercises to audit its logistics framework, test its technological deployment, and assess the readiness of its field personnel.
According to Amupitan, operational challenges identified before Saturday’s polls were promptly addressed through the commission’s Situation Room. He commended the technical team and other personnel who monitored the multi-state elections, saying their efforts enabled the commission to assess field performance and monitor the exercise across the affected constituencies. The INEC chairman emphasized that every off-cycle poll provides lessons for improving the conduct of subsequent elections.
The by-elections were conducted to fill vacancies in the National Assembly and state houses of assembly, following the defection of some lawmakers to other parties. The results of the by-elections reflect the current political landscape in Nigeria, with the APC and APM emerging as dominant forces in the affected states. The INEC has assured Nigerians of its commitment to improving its processes and strengthening public confidence in elections.
Key points
- The APC won four seats in the by-elections, while the APM secured one seat.
- The elections were conducted to assess INEC's electoral infrastructure and operational readiness for the 2027 general elections.
- The by-elections were generally peaceful, with INEC officials supervising voting, sorting, and collation of results.
