The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared winners in the senatorial, federal constituency and state assembly by-elections conducted across several states on Saturday, with the All Progressives Congress (APC) emerging victorious in five of the six contests.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), however, retained the Rivers South-East Senatorial District, preventing a clean sweep by the ruling party.
In Enugu State, Asogwa Ikeje Israel of the APC won the Enugu North Senatorial District by-election with 162,360 votes. He defeated candidates of the National Democratic Congress, African Democratic Congress and Labour Party, who polled 3,129, 1,676 and 1,027 votes respectively.
The APC also secured victory in the Nasarawa North Senatorial District, where Danladi Envulu-Anza emerged winner of the poll conducted to fill the vacancy created by the death of former senator Godiya Akwashiki. Announcing the result at the College of Education, Akwanga, Returning Officer, Prof. Aminu Ali, said Envulu-Anza polled 45,362 votes to defeat Labour Party’s Labaran Maku, who garnered 12,931 votes, while PDP candidate David Ombugadu secured 11,570 votes.
In Ondo State, Dayo Faduyile of the APC won the Ondo South Senatorial by-election conducted across six local government areas. The Returning Officer and Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University Lokoja, Prof. Gbenga Solomon-Ibileye, declared Faduyile winner after he polled 68,474 votes. The seat became vacant following the appointment of former senator Jimoh Ibrahim as Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations.
The PDP’s lone victory came in Rivers South-East Senatorial District, where Olaka Nwogu recorded a landslide triumph with 47,961 votes. The APC candidate, Osarosaka Ebenezer, garnered 1,647 votes, while candidates of the Action Alliance and Labour Party polled 1,175 and 367 votes respectively. The election was held to fill the vacancy created by the death of Senator Barinada Mpigi.
Meanwhile, Rabiu Shuaibu of the APC clinched the Dawakin Kudu/Warawa Federal Constituency seat in Kano State after polling 35,356 votes. Declaring the result, Returning Officer, Prof. Umar Sani, said the APC candidate had satisfied the requirements of the law and was duly returned elected.
In Kebbi State, Rabiu Aiki of the APC won the Zuru State Constituency by-election with 4,871 votes, defeating the Labour Party candidate, Aliyu Muhammad, who secured 168 votes. According to INEC, 109,385 voters were registered for the exercise, while 5,156 voters were accredited. The commission said 5,055 votes were valid, with 95 rejected ballots and a total of 5,150 votes cast.
