By Obinna Uballa
Nigeria’s major political parties shared victories across different states in Saturday’s by-elections, with the All Progressives Congress (APC) consolidating its dominance in several constituencies, while the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) also secured significant wins.
The exercise, however, was marred by reports of vote-buying, arrests, and sporadic violence, even as the Kaura Namoda South State Constituency election in Zamfara was declared inconclusive.
In Anambra, APGA reaffirmed its grip as Ifeoma Azikiwe clinched the Onitsha North 1 State Constituency seat with 7,774 votes, defeating her closest rival, Justina Azuka of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), who polled 1,909. The APC and Young Progressives Party (YPP) trailed with 1,371 and 655 votes respectively. Azikiwe replaces Justice Azuka, who was kidnapped and later killed.
APGA also secured a major victory in the Anambra South Senatorial District, where Emmanuel Nwachukwu polled 90,408 votes to defeat the APC candidate, Chief Azuka Okwuosa, who scored 19,847. ADC’s Donald Amangbo came a distant third with 2,889 votes. The by-election followed the death of Senator Ifeanyi Ubah in July 2024.
However, the Anambra polls were dogged by widespread allegations of vote-buying. Several voters told journalists they were paid N10,000 by APGA agents to secure their votes.
The APC dominated in Ogun, Edo, Kogi and Adamawa. In Ogun State’s Remo Federal Constituency, Adesola Ayoola-Elegbeji of the APC retained the seat with 41,237 votes against PDP’s Bola Oluwole, who managed 14,324.
In Edo Central, APC’s Joseph Ikpea swept 105,129 votes to defeat PDP’s Joe Okojie, who polled 15,146. Omosede Igbinedion of the APC also won big in Ovia Federal Constituency with 77,053 votes against PDP’s Johnny Aikpitanyi’s 3,838. In Kogi, APC’s Hassan Shado secured the Okura State Constituency with 55,073 votes, far ahead of PDP’s 1,038.
In Jigawa, APC’s Mukhtar Rabi’u Garki, won the Babura/Garki federal constituency. Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Returning Officer, Professor Salihu Ibrahim, who declared the results on Sunday at the commission’s collation centre located within the INEC Babura Office, said, “The APC candidate, Mukhtar Rabi’u Garki, scored a total of 38,449 votes, making him the winner of this bye-election.”
The PDP managed a breakthrough in Oyo, reclaiming the Ibadan North Federal Constituency for the first time since 2011. Folajinmi Oyekunle polled 18,404 votes to defeat the APC candidate, who scored 8,312.
In Kano, the NNPP maintained its stronghold as Ali Alhassan (also known as Dr. Ali Kiyawa) won the Bagwai/Shanono State Constituency with 16,198 votes against APC’s Ahmad Kadamu’s 5,347. But APC struck back in Ghari/Tsanyawa, where Garba Gwarmai edged out NNPP’s Yusuf Maigado with 31,472 votes to 27,931.
In Adamawa, APC’s Misa Musa narrowly won the Ganye State Constituency with 16,923 votes, defeating PDP’s Buba Muhammad Joda, who polled 16,794.
Zamfara election declared inclusive
Meanwhile, INEC declared the Kaura Namoda South State Constituency by-election in Zamfara inconclusive. The INEC Returning Officer for the election, Lawal Sa’Adu, a professor in Federal University Gusau said that the declaration followed the cancellation of results from some polling units in Sakajiki and Kambarawa wards.
Sa’adu said the total number of registered voters in the affected polling units stood at 5,446, while 3,265 Permanent Voter Cards were collected in those areas, while explaining that the APC scored 7,001 votes, while the PDP scored 5,339 votes, leaving a margin of 1,662 votes.
Despite these results, the elections were not without skirmishes. In Ogun, the police confirmed the arrest of two INEC officials and a driver after intercepting a vehicle in Iperu Remo containing N2.5 million in cash, allegedly meant for vote-buying.
The suspects reportedly admitted collecting the money from a man identified as “Political Solution” on the directive of their supervisor.
Also in Ogun, gunmen allegedly stormed the polling unit of PDP’s 2023 governorship candidate, Ladi Adebutu, at Wesley Primary School, Remo. The attackers, numbering about six and riding motorcycles, reportedly fired shots into the air and carted away ballot boxes, forcing voters to flee.
While INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Mrs. Saseyi Feyijimi, praised voters and security agencies for what she described as “peaceful conduct,” incidents of violence, ballot snatching, and cash-for-votes underscored the continuing challenges of Nigeria’s electoral process.
The by-elections reinforced the dominance of ruling parties at both federal and state levels, with APC consolidating its strongholds, APGA sweeping Anambra, PDP regaining lost ground in Oyo, and NNPP holding firm in Kano.
