APC Wins Four of Five Nigerian Bye-Election Seats
The ruling party secured victories in four of five contested legislative seats, with the opposition managing a single upset in Bauchi state.
Key points
- The APC won four of five legislative bye-election seats across Gombe, Kano, Bauchi, and Delta states.
- The APM secured the only opposition victory in the Sakwa State Constituency of Bauchi with 8,515 votes.
- Minister Festus Keyamo cited the results as a positive indicator for the APC's 2027 presidential prospects.
The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has captured four of the five legislative seats contested in this week's bye-elections across Nigeria. According to reports from guardian.ng, the victories were spread across the North-East, North-West, and South-South geopolitical zones, signaling a significant consolidation of power for the ruling party.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared the results after voting and collation were completed in Gombe, Kano, Bauchi, and Delta states. While the APC retained or captured most seats, the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) achieved a notable upset in the Sakwa State Constituency of Bauchi, breaking the ruling party's perfect record in the polls.
Regional breakdown of results
In the Gombe/Kwami/Funakaye Federal Constituency, APC candidate Usman Maijama’a Kallamu secured the seat with 41,121 votes, a substantial lead over the Labour Party, which polled 3,553 votes. In Kano’s Dawakin Kudu State Constituency, Hussaini Yusuf-Datti of the APC won with 22,890 votes, significantly outperforming the Peoples Redemption Party, which received only 270 votes.
Delta state saw Okolosi Ator of the APC win the Udu State Constituency with 8,724 votes, narrowly defeating the closest challenger from the PDP. This victory returned the seat to the APC following the defection of the previous occupant, Collins Egbetamah, to the Nigeria Democratic Congress, which had triggered the vacancy.
Bauchi sees mixed outcomes
Bauchi state produced contrasting results in its two contested constituencies. In Disina, the APC’s Yakubu Ali won with 5,846 votes, edging out the APM which received 5,225 votes. However, in the Sakwa State Constituency, the APM’s Adamu Yakubu defeated the APC candidate with 8,515 votes to 3,771, marking the only victory for opposition-aligned candidates in the series of polls.
Bauchi Deputy Governor Auwal Jatau commended the general turnout but raised concerns regarding the conduct of security personnel. According to his statement, three individuals believed to be supporters of the APM were arrested and intimidated, although the election was otherwise described as peaceful and orderly by official observers.
Strategic implications for 2027
The outcome has sparked debate over what the results indicate for the broader political landscape ahead of the 2027 general elections. Aviation and Aerospace Development Minister Festus Keyamo described the APC’s four victories as significant, noting their spread across three geopolitical zones. He highlighted the constitutional requirement for a presidential candidate to secure at least 25 percent of votes in two-thirds of the states, suggesting the APC’s performance strengthens its position.
Several opposition parties, including the African Democratic Congress and Nigeria Democratic Congress, abstained from certain contests to conserve resources for the general election. This strategic withdrawal has led analysts to weigh the impact of the current results against the broader coalition dynamics that will define the next electoral cycle.
