Bye-elections: How APC won 4 seats, APM one
APC Dominates Recent Bye-Elections, Securing Four Seats
By Jimitota Onoyume, Omeiza Ajayi, Ben Ngwakwe, Hadiza Yusuf & Christopher Ameh
The All Progressives Congress (APC) emerged victorious in four of five legislative bye-elections held on Saturday across Delta, Kano, Bauchi, and Gombe states. The Allied People’s Movement (APM) claimed the remaining seat in Bauchi.
In Delta State, APC candidate Ator Okolosi won the Udu state assembly seat, receiving 8,724 votes. His nearest competitor, George Orugbo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), garnered 212 votes, while Omovie Esther from APM finished with 33 votes.
In Kano State, the APC also won the bye-election for the Dawakin Kudu/Warawa State Constituency. Hussaini Yusuf Datti secured 22,890 votes, significantly ahead of his rivals, with the PDP earning just 180 votes and the Peoples Redemption Party receiving 270 votes.
In Gombe, APC’s Usman Maijama’a Kallamu claimed victory in the Gombe/Kwami/Funakaye Federal Constituency bye-election, polling 41,121 votes. The election was held to fill a vacancy created by the passing of former representative Hon. Yaya Bauchi Tongo. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) reported a total of 47,301 votes cast, with 46,551 declared valid.
In Bauchi, the APC and APM each secured one of the two state assembly seats contested. Yakubu Ali from the APC won the Disina State Constituency with 5,846 votes, defeating APM’s candidate, who received 5,225 votes. In contrast, Adamu Yakubu of the APM triumphed in the Sakwa State Constituency, receiving 8,515 votes against the APC’s 3,771. The Zah and Disina vacancies arose from the deaths of lawmakers and a resignation, respectively.
APC National Chairman Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda praised the INEC and security agencies for their roles in the bye-elections. He congratulated the successful APC candidates and called their victories reflective of the electorate’s confidence in the party.
“Above all, this victory is a call to service. I urge you to remain humble and committed to delivering purposeful representation to your constituents,” Yilwatda stated.
Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development Festus Keyamo highlighted the significance of the APC’s vote distribution in these elections, suggesting that it may have implications for the upcoming presidential elections in 2027. He noted that the APC won seats across various regions of Nigeria, illustrating a strategic spread of support.
“The spread of those votes for the APC across the three regions is very significant going into the general elections in January,” Keyamo said, emphasizing the importance of regional support in securing the presidency in Nigeria’s complex political landscape.
