By Cross Udo, and Cajetan Mmuta, with agency report
The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has emerged as the dominant force in Saturday’s by-elections, claiming 12 of the 16 seats contested across 12 states, in what observers describe as a sweeping endorsement of the party’s national spread.
Results announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) confirmed APC victories in both federal and state legislative contests, with the party posting strong performances in Edo, Ogun, Kaduna, Niger, Adamawa, Taraba, Jigawa, and Kogi.
The opposition parties, meanwhile, managed limited gains: the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) secured both available seats in Anambra, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) held onto Oyo’s Ibadan North Federal Constituency. At the same time, the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) notched a symbolic win in Kano’s Bagwai/Shanono Assembly seat.
In Zamfara’s Kaura Namoda South constituency, INEC declared the poll inconclusive after irregularities left the margin of victory more minor than the number of cancelled votes.
*Tinubu celebrates party’s victories, praises INEC’s conduct
President Bola Tinubu led the celebrations, congratulating winners across party lines but reserving praise for the APC’s “emphatic victories.”
In a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Information, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu commended INEC for what he called “hitch-free elections” and lauded the unity of purpose displayed by APC governors, party leaders, and members.
He also singled out the APC’s newly elected National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, describing the results as “an emphatic first victory under his leadership.”
“Our Renewed Hope is not a slogan; it is a solemn pledge to deliver security, prosperity and fairness to all Nigerians,” Tinubu said.
Jubilant after clinching the Anambra South Senate seat and Onitsha North I Assembly seat, the party attributed its victory to the grassroots mobilisation efforts of Governor Charles Soludo.
“Anambra has once again shown that APGA is its fortress under Governor Soludo’s leadership,” APGA Leader
While celebrating the victory of Folajimi Oyekunle in Ibadan North, PDP leaders lamented the conduct of the polls in parts of the North, alleging intimidation, vote-buying, and manipulation.
“The irregularities witnessed in Kano and other flashpoints strike at the heart of electoral integrity,” the PDP spokesperson said.
Also, the NNPP in Kano described its win in Bagwai/Shanono as evidence of its resilience, but rejected results in the Ghari/Tsanyawa rerun, vowing to challenge the outcome in court.
“We will not surrender Kano to manufactured results; the courts will decide,” the state NNPP Chairman said.
In Zamfara, despite Kaura Namoda’s inconclusive verdict, the APC state chapter urged calm, insisting its lead reflected the people’s will.
*State-by-State breakdown
In Edo, the APC claimed the Edo Central Senatorial seat with Joseph Ikpea and the Ovia Federal Constituency, where Omosede Igbinedion made a comeback.
In Kaduna, APC swept Chikun/Kajuru (House of Reps) and two State Assembly constituencies in Zaria. The Chikun/Kajuru win is especially significant, marking a breakthrough in what has long been a PDP stronghold.
The PDP in Oyo State retained Ibadan North, its only federal-level seat of the day.
However, in Kano, it was a split verdict as the NNPP captured Bagwai/Shanono, while APC took Ghari/Tsanyawa amid controversy and arrests.
In Adamawa, the APC edged PDP in Ganye State Constituency by a slim 129-vote margin, while in Taraba, APC’s Abner Shittu prevailed in Karim-Lamido I, defeating PDP’s Ali Kanda.
In Niger State, APC’s Dogari Daje won Munya State Constituency, carrying 10 of 11 wards, while in Jigawa State, APC’s Muktar Rabi’u triumphed in Babura/Garki Federal Constituency with over 38,000 votes.
For Kogi State, APC consolidated its control with Hassan Shado’s victory in Dekina-Okura II (HoR).
In Anambra State, APGA swept both available seats, confirming its dominance in the state.
For Zamfara, the Kaura Namoda South awaits a rerun after INEC declared the result inconclusive.
*Violence, vote-buying allegations trail otherwise peaceful polls
While INEC hailed the polls as generally peaceful, significant irregularities surfaced:
In Kano, police arrested 288 suspected thugs in connection with violence at polling units.
In Kaduna, the EFCC intercepted ₦25.9 million suspected to be intended for vote-buying.
Technical glitches were reported with the BVAS accreditation system, causing delays and voter frustration in several states.
A political analyst in Kogi State, Audu Salami, praised INEC’s improved logistics but cautioned that lingering issues of voter intimidation, electoral violence, and attempted inducements remained a threat to Nigeria’s democratic consolidation.
Salami said the by-election results are widely seen as a referendum on the Tinubu administration’s first year and a preview of political alignments ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“The APC’s commanding lead consolidates its grip on national politics. APGA’s Anambra victories confirm its regional stranglehold. PDP’s survival in Oyo underscores its shrinking but persistent relevance, while NNPP’s Kano seat signals its determination to challenge the ruling party in the North-West.
“Saturday’s by-elections may look minor, but they reveal the balance of forces shaping 2027,” Salami said,
