The All Progressives Congress (APC) recorded a dominant performance in Saturday’s by-elections, securing victories in Ondo, Nasarawa, Kano and Kebbi states, while the Peoples Democratic Party retained the Rivers South-East Senatorial District seat.

The results announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission on Sunday strengthened the APC’s legislative presence across the country, although some of the contests were overshadowed by allegations of electoral irregularities, violence and voter intimidation.

In Nasarawa, APC candidate, Danladi Halilu, defeated Labour Party’s Labaran Maku and the PDP’s Emmanuel Ombugadu to win the Nasarawa North Senatorial seat.

The ruling party clinched the Dawakin Kudu/Warawa Federal Constituency by-election in Kano, where Rabiu Shuaibu secured a landslide victory.

Its candidate in the Enugu North Senatorial District by-election, Ikeje Asogwa, was declared the winner, while the party also emerged victorious in the Ondo and Kebbi by-elections.

In Rivers State, however, the PDP’s Olaka Nwogu comfortably retained the Rivers South-East Senatorial seat, defeating his closest APC challenger by a wide margin in the election conducted across seven local government areas.

In Nasarawa, Halilu was declared the winner after he secured 45,362 votes.

The Returning Officer, Prof Aminu Ali, announced the final results at the collation centre at College of Education, Akwanga, on Sunday, after votes were collated from Akwanga, Nasarawa Eggon and Wamba local government areas.

Declaring the results, Prof Ali said, “Danladi Envulu-anza of the APC scored 45,362 votes, Labaran Maku of the Labour Party scored 12,931 votes, and Emmanuel David Ombugadu of the PDP got 11,570 votes.

“The ADC candidate, Alaku Mohammed Steve, scored 1,496 votes, and John Paul of the NNPP got 102 votes.”

He added, “That Danladi Halilu Envulu-anza of the APC, having satisfied the requirement of the law, is hereby declared the winner and is returned elected.”

Meanwhile, agents of the LP at the collation centre staged a walkout in protest over the results and the collation process.

Dr Ben Ango, who led the LP team, walked out alongside other party members shortly after collation for the three LGAs in the district was completed.

Also reacting, Maku rejected the results declared and called for the cancellation of the by-election over alleged widespread irregularities.

Maku, a former minister of Information, speaking during a press briefing in his country home, Wakama, in the Nasarawa Eggon Local Government Area of the state, lamented the non-adherence to electoral laws by INEC officials, noting that officials of the Nasarawa State government partnered with the electoral umpire to conduct the election.

He said, “I have observed that what took place in the by-election in Nasarawa State was a sham, a complete sham. I consulted with my party. We decided that the best option is to pull out of the by-election and ask INEC to honourably cancel it and conduct a free and fair by-election for the senatorial district.”

The LP senatorial candidate noted that the election did not take place in most places, adding that ballot papers were thumb-printed, while places such as Alizaga, Umme and Alushi wards in Nasarawa Eggon LGA conducted elections without the use of the BVAS machine.

Reacting in a telephone interview, the state APC Publicity Secretary, Augustine Ogaba, dismissed Maku’s allegations, urging him to learn to accept the outcome of electoral processes.

According to him, the minister’s waning popularity in the senatorial zone could not have earned him victory during the by-election, especially because he had not been stable in a political party within the past few months.

Ogaba added, “It is funny for anyone to accuse the APC of any form of irregularity during the by-election because if you put all the results of the opposition parties together, it is not even half of what our candidate scored.

“For the opposition, it is only when they win an election that it is free and fair. If they lose, they will find a reason to complain about the process.

“My advice to the former minister is for him to learn from the process and prepare for another time. He should go back home and do his homework so that he can come out stronger next time instead of complaining for no obvious reason.”

Announcing the final results of the Enugu North by-election in the early hours of Sunday at the INEC office in Enugu, INEC Returning Officer for the election, Prof Christian Ezebe, certified that Asogwa polled a total of 162,360 votes to emerge victorious.

Out of the 184,094 accredited voters, Asogwa’s closest rival, Dr Nestor Ezeme of the Peoples Democratic Party, secured 9,299 votes to come a distant second.

Making the official declaration, Prof Ezebe said: “I, Prof Christian Ezebe, hereby certify that I am the returning officer for the 2026 Enugu North district by-election held on the 20th June 2026. The election was contested. That the candidates received the following votes – Chika Idoke of ADC – 1,676 votes, Asogwa Ikeje Israel of APC – 162,360, Aneke Kingsley Chukwuebuka of BP 416; Eze Ejike Simon of LP: 1,027; Osai Elias Okwudili of NDC 3,129; Ezeme Nestor Chika of PDP – 9,299 and Ugwuanyi Charles Ugochukwu of PRP – 667.

“Arising, therefore, Asogwa Ikeje Israel of the APC, having satisfied the requirements of the law, is hereby declared the winner and is returned elected.”

Despite the landslide victory margin, the exercise was heavily marred by reports of severe violence, technical hitches, ballot-box snatching, and coordinated attacks on opposition elements across the six local government areas of the senatorial zone.

A major flashpoint of violence occurred at Umuodo Village Hall in Ogwu Ward, Obollo-Afor, where a PDP polling agent identified simply as Justice was hospitalised after he got severe head and nose injuries.

Rabiu Shuaibu of the APC was declared the winner of the Dawakin Kudu/Warawa Federal Constituency by-election in Kano State.

The Returning Officer, Prof Umar Sani of Bayero University, Kano, announced the result following the completion of collation after a peaceful exercise across polling units.

According to the official results, Rabiu Shuaibu (APC) scored 35,356 votes, while Lawal Garba Haruna of APM polled 268 votes and Abubakar Yahaya Muhammad of LP got 98 votes.

The APC candidate in Ondo South Senatorial District, Prof Francis Faduyile, was declared the winner by the INEC Returning Officer for the election, Prof Gbenga Ibileye.

According to the INEC official, Faduyile, a former President of the Nigeria Medical Association, polled 68,474 votes to defeat three other candidates of the APM, APP and Boot Party.

The returning officer, who is also the Vice Chancellor of the Federal University Lokoja, said, “Faduyile polled 68,474 votes to defeat Adeolu Akinwunmi of the Allied People’s Movement, who scored 1,411 votes. Adesanya Olaoluwa of Action People’s Party  and Clement Funso-Nejo of Boot Party recorded 213 and 70 votes, respectively.”

The electoral officer announced the total votes cast as 70,770, with 602 rejected.

Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa congratulated Prof Faduyile on his victory in the by-election.

The governor, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Ebenezer Adeniyan, on Sunday, described the outcome of the election as a reflection of the confidence and trust reposed in him by the people of the district.

“The victory of the former President of the Nigerian Medical Association and distinguished academic underscores the people’s belief in his capacity to provide effective representation and advance the interests of Ondo South at the National Assembly,” the governor stated.

Commending INEC, security agencies, and the electorate for ensuring a peaceful and credible electoral process, the governor urged all stakeholders to rally round the senator-elect in the collective interest of the progress and development of Ondo South Senatorial District.

In Rivers State, INEC declared Olaka Nwogu of the PDP as the winner of the Rivers South East Senatorial District by-election.

Only the PDP, APC, Action Alliance and LP were cleared by INEC for the by-election contested in Khana, Gokana, Tai, Eleme, Andoni, Oyigbo and Opobo, seven local government areas that make up the Rivers South-East Senatorial District.

INEC Returning Officer for the election, Prof Rosemary Ogu, declared that Nwogu Olaka Johnson of the PDP secured 46,961  votes to emerge the winner of the election.

Nwogu, an ally of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, defeated his closest rival, Osarokaka Ebenezer Erewari of the APC, who polled 1,647 votes.

Meanwhile, candidates of the AA and the LP rejected the result,  threatening to challenge the outcome in court.

The AA candidate, Dr Douglas Fabeke, in a news briefing in Port Harcourt, accused INEC officials and the police of aiding rigging.

He also alleged the proliferation of fake INEC results sheets, saying he would not be silenced in the matter.

He stated, “In this situation, we will not keep quiet. We will continue to raise our voice. Not only are we going to raise our voice, but we are also going to file a case against INEC, PDP and the candidate, if there is anybody that exists as a candidate.

“We have never seen him anywhere. So it’s a complicated issue in which the Nigerian judicial system will define for us what kind of election this is.”

In a statement he later released, Fabeke said what transpired on Saturday confirmed his fears about what would happen in the 2027 general elections.

He stated, “I had previously stated that the Rivers South East senatorial by-election would serve as a litmus test for the 2027 election. Regrettably, the Independent National Electoral Commission has once again fallen short of expectations.”

The AA candidate continued, “I have instructed our polling unit agents and LGA coalition agents not to sign any documents that may compromise our position.”

Similarly, the LP candidate, Kinani Sam, said he had evidence of rigging during the by-election and demanded its cancellation.

“We are demanding that INEC should not release any results. If they do otherwise, we will take the next step possible.

“I can tell you that we have video and pictorial evidence and voice notes of some of the INEC and LG officials,” he said.

When contacted, the INEC spokesperson in Rivers State, Geraldine Ekelemu, dismissed the allegation, adding, however, that it was within the candidates’ rights to contest the election if they felt dissatisfied with the process.

Ekelemu encouraged them to go ahead if they had evidence of their claims, but said the commission had conducted a credible by-election.

She stated, “It is within everybody’s right where they feel an activity is not properly done. It is welcomed, and that’s why we have such provisions in the Electoral Act.

“I believe if they have to prove what they are alleging, that will also be good for them to take it up.

“However, where we stand, we have done what we are expected to do to ensure that the process was smooth and concluded.”

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The Independent National Electoral Commission on Thursday began the distribution of sensitive materials for the conduct of Saturday’s governorship election in Ekiti State.

Electoral officers from different local government areas were on hand to receive the materials for onward movement to their councils in readiness for onward distribution to the wards and units for the election.

INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner in Ekiti State, Dr Bunmi Omoseyindemi, who spoke at the Central Bank of Nigeria, Ado Ekiti branch, venue of the distribution, assured residents of the commission’s readiness to conduct a credible, free and fair poll.

The governorship election is scheduled to be held across the 16 local government areas of the state.

Omoseyindemi said, “As you can see, we have begun the distribution of sensitive materials for Saturday’s governorship election. The process is being carried out in a transparent manner in the presence of security agencies, political parties, election observers, media and other stakeholders.

“We started with local government areas that are far from the state capital to ensure that the materials get to their destinations on time and without any hitch.”

The REC, who said all necessary arrangements had been put in place for a successful election across the state, said that INEC remained committed to delivering a credible exercise that would reflect Ekiti people’s wishes.

He urged residents to come out peacefully and perform their civic responsibility on election day as he commended the security agencies for their collaboration and support, saying their presence would help guarantee the safe movement of election materials and the overall integrity of the electoral process.

Police deploy operatives

The Commissioner of Police for the Ekiti Governorship Election, Dr Abayomi Shogunle, speaking with newsmen on Thursday, commended the transparency in the distribution of the election materials, as he assured of adequate security on Saturday.

He said the police had put in place a multi-layered security framework to ensure hitch-free exercise.

He declared war against vote-trading, saying the Electoral Act had specific sanctions for the act, which the police would implement by ensuring anyone caught faced the prescribed music.

Shogunle, who assured general security for all, said, “Every unit, every centre, every INEC personnel, every voter, every journalist and every observer would be protected. What we want to achieve is increased voter turnout.”

The police commissioner said the security agencies were on the ground to escort the election materials and ensure security at the various destinations, including the wards and polling units.

He said, “Distribution of election materials to each of the 16 local government areas has commenced. INEC is starting with the faraway local governments.

“We have police officers who are going to escort these materials from here to all the local government headquarters, where the materials will be housed. The police officers will also be on guard to protect all these materials.

“Then, by tomorrow (Friday), we expect the movement of these materials from the various local governments to the Registration Area Centres (wards). Then, from the wards, INEC will get the materials to the polling units, where they will be used on Saturday.

“We have plans in place to ensure that the materials arrive safely at all designated polling units across the state by Saturday morning, very early, to enable the commencement of polling at the stipulated time at the various polling units.”

Shogunle said the police, which is the lead agency in the election security, had, in addition to their intelligence, “considered the risk assessments carried out by different stakeholders and put in place adequate measures to forestall any security issue or apprehension of any individual.”

He said that the police were operating under the operational order of the Inspector General, Tunji Disu, saying, “The operational order is based on a security framework, which is a multi-layered security framework.

“We have identified different elements here, and we are putting in place different measures to take care of the issues that have been identified.”

He said that adequate measures had been put in place with the multi-layered security framework.

The police also said it will deploy a proactive and preventive security model for the election, while movement of persons will be restricted on election day to ensure a peaceful and credible poll.

The Force Public Relations Officer, DCP Anthony Placid, disclosed this in an interview on Thursday, assuring residents of the state’s readiness to provide adequate security before, during and after the election.

Placid said the IGP, Disu, had already deployed sufficient personnel to secure polling units, collation centres and other designated election facilities across the state.

He said, “As we approach the forthcoming elections in Ekiti under the leadership of our admirable Inspector General of Police, IGP Olatunji Disu, I would like to inform you that the Nigerian Police Force intends to utilise a proactive and preventive model in order to ensure a peaceful election.

“Currently, the Inspector-General of Police has deployed adequate personnel to cover polling units, collation centres, and all other designated election facilities. We will provide physical security, personal security, information security, as well as security for all election-related activities and events.”

The police spokesman said the Force would remain neutral throughout the electoral process, stressing that its allegiance was to the Constitution and not to any political interest.

“It’s an enormous task, but our neutrality mandate comes to mind at a time like this to ensure that our loyalty and allegiance are to the Constitution of the Federal Republic and not to any political faction,” Placid stated.

According to him, the police have activated the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security to coordinate the activities of all security agencies participating in the election.

“The media have a role to play in collaboration with the police, but for the police and all other security agencies, we have set in motion the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security to ensure a uniform command of all the security agencies that will participate in the forthcoming elections,” he said.

Placid further disclosed that security agencies had put in place a three-layer security arrangement and that movement restrictions would be enforced on election day.

“We have also made arrangements for the three concentric layer security zones, and on the election day, in order to have a successful election, there will be restrictions on the movement of persons,” he said.

He urged residents of the state to remain peaceful and participate in the electoral process.

“I urge all good people of Ekiti State to rest assured that the Nigerian Police Force will provide a level playing field for all to come out en masse and exercise their franchise,” Placid added. 

Yiaga-Africa warns vote-buyers

With a few hours to the governorship election, a non-governmental organisation, Yiaga Africa, has called on the political parties and their candidates to shun vote-buying and vote-selling during the forthcoming poll.

The group, which noted that the vote-trading remained one of the threats to the integrity of the election, said the political gladiators might capitalise on the economic hardship to exploit the voters.

The Chairman, 2026 Ekiti Election Observation Mission of the group, Dr Aisha Abdullahi, stated this while speaking with journalists in Ado Ekiti on Thursday.

Abdullahi also appealed to the INEC to sustain its commitment to transparency and professionalism, “particularly to the deployment of election materials, the RACs, the accreditation of voters using the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System and the management of election results, including the transmission of results.”

The group urged security agencies to sustain intelligence-led deployment, maintain strict neutrality and professionalism and guarantee the safety of voters, observers, journalists, electoral personnel, party agents, and election materials throughout the voting, counting, transmission and collation processes.

Yiaga Africa urged INEC, in collaboration with security agencies and anti-corruption bodies, to proactively identify, arrest, and prosecute individuals engaged in vote trading on election day.

She said, “Political parties and candidates must publicly renounce vote buying, and voters are encouraged to reject inducements and protect the value of their vote.

“Sustained voter education on the dangers of vote trading remains essential in the days leading up to the election.”

The Yiaga Africa urged the stakeholders and INEC to intensify voter education and mobilisation, with deliberate outreach to women, youth, persons with disabilities, and rural communities.

 IPC tasks journalists

The International Press Centre and the Centre for Media and Society charged journalists and other media professionals who would be on duty during the election to adhere to professional standards and be safety conscious.

At a press parley, the Executive Director of IPC, Lanre Arogundade, said the admonition had become necessary in the light of the critical role that the media played during electioneering processes and elections, during which journalists’ safety may be threatened.

He said, “It is very important for journalists covering the Ekiti State election to be safety conscious in the discharge of their duties, and to avoid situations that will put them in harm’s way. Journalists are expected to be non-partisan.

“Being partisan is not only about being a member of a political party, but also includes the use of expressions and/or impressions with statements, tags, symbols and colours that portray or identify with a particular political party or personality,” Arogundade added.

He also admonished journalists covering the election to be well-equipped.

“Journalists who are to cover the elections should ensure that they are fully kitted and accredited to avoid situations wherein security agencies would have to question them or bar them from performing their duties.

“Journalists who are not on election duty should avoid straying into the identified polling units at will during the stipulated period of the election.

“At all times, journalists covering the elections must have their identification card and press/media tag clearly displayed to avoid undue harassment and unnecessary identity checks by the security agencies.

“Other stakeholders, including elections observers, should also proactively provide journalists covering the elections with information to ensure that all work together for the credibility of the electoral process,” Arogundade added.

The Executive Director of CEMESO, a partner organisation in the IPC/CEMESO-Safety of Journalists framework, Dr Akin Akingbulu, underscored the democratic imperative of journalist safety.

Akingbulu noted that the conditions under which journalists were permitted to work constituted a direct measure of a society’s commitment to its own civic values.

“Every election is, at its core, a test of those values and nowhere is that test more visibly administered than in the field,” he said.

On the broader relationship between security forces and the press during elections, Akingbulu called for functional collaboration grounded in mutual respect for institutional roles.

He said, “The relationship between security personnel and journalists during elections has historically been one of the most contested frontiers in Nigeria’s democratic experience, shaped by mutual suspicion on both sides.

“We expect the security forces to note that the media is a critical part of the electoral process and so the media should be accorded due rights and privileges to enable them to carry out their social obligations as partners in enshrining the credibility of the electoral process,” he added.

Among other activities, IPC/CEMESO will, during the election, be partnering with the Ekiti State police command in ensuring the safety of journalists deployed to the field.

As part of initiatives to keep tabs on the safety consciousness of journalists, IPC/CEMESO said that there were safety alert officers whom journalists under threat/attack could report to.

EU, CSOs launch observation hub

The European Union and a coalition of civil society organisations have launched a Joint Election Observation Hub to provide real-time monitoring of the election, in a move aimed at strengthening electoral transparency and boosting public confidence in the polls.

The initiative, under the European Union Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria programme, will deploy accredited observers across all local government areas of Ekiti State to monitor the conduct of the election and provide verified, evidence-based reports throughout the electoral process, according to a statement by the EU delegation on Thursday.

The coalition comprises Yiaga Africa, IPC, CEMESO, TAF Africa, The Kukah Centre and the Nigerian Women Trust Fund.

Announcing the initiative in Ado-Ekiti, the organisations said the hub would serve as a central coordination platform for receiving, verifying and analysing reports from observers stationed at polling units across the state.

According to the coalition, the observers would monitor critical aspects of the election, including the opening of polls, voter accreditation, voting, vote counting, results collation, media coverage, electoral integrity and compliance with electoral guidelines.

The groups added that special attention would also be paid to the participation of women, young people and persons with disabilities to ensure that the election remained inclusive and reflective of democratic values.

“Verified information from the field will be analysed in real-time and shared through periodic public updates to promote transparency, counter misinformation, strengthen public confidence and encourage peaceful participation before, during and after the election,” the organisations stated.

Speaking on behalf of the EU-SDGN implementing partners, the coalition said the initiative reflected the strength of collaboration among Nigerian civil society organisations in safeguarding democracy.

“The Joint Election Observation Hub reflects the strength of Nigerian civil society working together in the public interest.

“By bringing together our expertise, nationwide networks and election observation efforts, we are able to provide timely, credible and evidence-based information that strengthens transparency, supports peaceful participation and reinforces public confidence in the electoral process,” the statement read.

The organisations stressed that credible elections required the active participation of citizens and the collective commitment of electoral institutions, security agencies, political actors, the media and civil society.

“Every stakeholder has a responsibility to protect the integrity of the electoral process. We encourage citizens to participate peacefully, reject violence and misinformation, and contribute to an election that reflects the will of the people,” they added.

Also speaking, Governance Adviser at the European Union Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Laolu Olawumi, said the EU remained committed to supporting Nigerian institutions and civil society organisations to deepen democratic governance through locally driven initiatives.

“The European Union is proud to support initiatives that place Nigerian organisations at the forefront of strengthening democracy.

“The Joint Election Observation Hub is significant because it is locally led, locally driven and built on the collective expertise of trusted Nigerian civil society organisations. It reflects our long-term commitment to supporting sustainable democratic institutions while ensuring that Nigerians themselves lead the efforts to protect and strengthen their democracy,” he said.

The Ekiti governorship election has emerged as one of Nigeria’s most closely watched off-cycle elections, with political observers viewing it as an early indicator of the mood of the electorate ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The election will determine whether incumbent Governor Biodun Oyebanji secures another four-year term or whether opposition parties can wrest control of the state.

The election is also expected to test reforms introduced by INEC, particularly the INEC Result Viewing Portal.

Beyond technology, stakeholders are paying close attention to issues of voter turnout, election security, misinformation and the inclusion of women, youths and persons with disabilities in the electoral process.