The All Progressives Congress, APC, has won four of the five legislative seats contested in weekend by-elections across four states, providing fresh evidence of the importance of grassroots party structures as Nigeria moves closer to the 2027 general election.
Results reported from the September 19 polls showed the APC winning the Dawakin Kudu State Constituency in Kano, the Disina State Constituency in Bauchi and the Udu State Constituency in Delta, alongside another of the five seats contested. The African Peoples Movement, APM, won the Sakwa State Constituency in Bauchi.
In Dawakin Kudu, APC candidate Hussaini Datti polled 22,890 votes, substantially ahead of the Peoples Redemption Party, PRP, which received 270 votes. The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, secured 108 votes, while the Labour Party recorded 39.
In Bauchi’s Disina constituency, APC candidate Yakubu Ali secured 5,846 votes, while the APM candidate finished with 5,225 votes and the PRP polled 3,701.
The APM reversed the pattern in Sakwa State Constituency in Zaki Local Government Area, where its candidate, Adamu Yakubu, secured 8,515 votes, against 3,771 for the APC, 2,076 for the PDP and 727 for the PRP.
Delta’s Udu contest also went to the APC, with Okolosi Ator polling 8,724 votes, while the PDP candidate received 214.
Parties Draw Lessons Ahead of 2027
The results are attracting attention because Nigeria’s next presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled for January 16, 2027, followed by governorship and state House of Assembly elections on February 6.
However, by-election results in a small number of constituencies should not be treated as representative polling for the nationwide elections. Turnout, candidates, local political structures and issues vary considerably between constituencies.
INEC described the elections as useful operational experience ahead of the general election.
Former ADC National Chairman Ralphs Nwosu said the outcome should encourage opposition parties to concentrate on grassroots mobilisation, credible candidates and practical election preparation rather than relying principally on national coalition negotiations.
With the general election less than four months away, the weekend contests provide the parties with constituency-level information about organisation and mobilisation, rather than a nationwide measure of voter preferences.
