The All Progressives Congress has tightened its grip on Nigeria’s political map after sweeping four of five contested by-elections held on Saturday. The Independent National Electoral Commission declared results on Sunday that handed the APC senatorial, House of Representatives and state assembly seats in Ondo, Nasarawa, Kano and Kebbi. The Peoples Democratic Party retained only the Rivers South-East Senatorial District, underscoring the ruling party’s expanding territorial reach ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In Ondo State, former Nigerian Medical Association president Prof. Dayo Faduyile secured the Ondo South Senatorial District seat with 68,474 votes. His closest rival, Adeolu Akinwunmi of the Allied People’s Movement, polled 1,411 votes. The election filled the vacancy left by Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, who was appointed Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations. INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner Dr. Mutiu Agboke described the poll as a dry run for 2027, revealing logistical gaps that the commission must address before the next national vote.
Rivers State remained the sole PDP stronghold. Former senator Olaka Nwogu won the Rivers South-East Senatorial District by-election with 47,961 votes. The seat became vacant after Senator Barinada Mpigi died in office on February 19, 2026. Nwogu’s victory, achieved against three minor-party candidates, suggests the PDP’s grassroots machinery in the Niger Delta remains intact despite national setbacks. Political analysts note that Rivers Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s ongoing feud with his predecessor Nyesom Wike has not yet eroded the party’s electoral base in the state.
Nasarawa State delivered a surprise outcome. APC candidate Barrister Danladi Halilu Envulu-Anza won the Nasarawa North Senatorial by-election with 45,362 votes, defeating Labour Party’s Labaran Maku (12,931 votes) and PDP’s Emmanuel David Ombugadu (11,331 votes). The result marks a rare APC breakthrough in a region traditionally dominated by the PDP. Local observers attribute the shift to voter disillusionment with the PDP’s internal crisis and the APC’s aggressive campaign that promised federal infrastructure projects for the area. Several losing parties have already signaled intentions to challenge the result in court, citing irregularities in voter accreditation.
Kano State reinforced the APC’s northern dominance. Rabiu Shuaibu won the Dawakin Kudu/Warawa Federal Constituency seat with 35,356 votes, a landslide margin over his nearest rival who polled just 268 votes. The by-election was necessitated by the death of former House of Representatives member Muhammad Danjuma-Hassan of the New Nigeria People’s Party. The APC’s victory in this traditionally competitive constituency suggests the party has successfully absorbed defectors from the NNPP, which has been weakened by internal leadership disputes since the 2023 general elections.
Kebbi State completed the APC’s sweep. Rabiu Garba Aiki won the Zuru State Constituency by-election for the State House of Assembly with 4,871 votes. The seat became vacant after the death of former Speaker Muhammad Usman Zuru. INEC reported that only 5,156 of 109,385 registered voters were accredited, revealing chronic voter apathy in state-level contests. The APC’s victory in this rural constituency demonstrates the party’s ability to mobilize its base even in low-turnout elections, a capability that could prove decisive in the 2027 polls.
The by-elections exposed critical institutional vulnerabilities within INEC. Multiple returning officers reported delayed delivery of sensitive materials to remote polling units, forcing last-minute relocations that disenfranchised voters. In Nasarawa North, voting was extended by two hours after ballot papers arrived three hours late. These logistical failures occurred despite INEC’s public assurances of preparedness, raising questions about the commission’s capacity to conduct a nationwide election in 2027. Civil society groups have demanded an immediate audit of INEC’s supply chain infrastructure, warning that repeated failures could undermine public confidence in the electoral process.
A deeper analysis reveals that the APC’s victories were not merely numerical but strategic. The party targeted constituencies where incumbents had died or been appointed to diplomatic positions, avoiding areas with sitting lawmakers who could leverage incumbency advantages. This calculated approach allowed the APC to expand its legislative majority without triggering high-stakes battles against entrenched opponents. The PDP, by contrast, failed to defend its vulnerable seats in Nasarawa and Kano, suggesting a lack of early-warning systems to detect and counter APC encroachment in its traditional strongholds.
The outcomes also signal shifting voter priorities. In Ondo South, Faduyile’s background as a medical professional resonated with voters grappling with healthcare crises, while in Nasarawa North, Envulu-Anza’s promise of federal road projects addressed long-standing infrastructure deficits. These localized concerns overshadowed national issues like inflation and insecurity, indicating that 2027 campaigns may hinge on constituency-specific deliverables rather than broad ideological platforms. Political parties that fail to tailor their messaging to these granular voter demands risk further electoral erosion.
