By Ayomide Otitoju
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared winners in Saturday’s area council elections in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and by-elections in Rivers State and Kano State, with the All Progressives Congress (APC) recording significant victories.
In Kuje Area Council of the FCT, APC candidate Danjuma Shekwolo won the chairmanship election with 17,269 votes. The Returning Officer, Nkiruka Odoh of the University of Abuja, declared him duly elected, having scored the highest number of votes and satisfied the requirements of the law.
The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Zakwoyi Danlami, polled 15,824 votes, while Abdullahi Galadima of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) secured 4,305 votes.
In Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), APC’s Christopher Maikalangu was returned elected after polling 40,295 votes out of 62,861 valid votes cast. The African Democratic Congress (ADC) scored 12,109 votes, while the PDP garnered 3,398 votes.
Similarly, in Kwali Area Council, APC candidate Daniel Nuhu secured 17,032 votes to defeat PDP’s Haruna Pai, who polled 8,575 votes.
However, in Gwagwalada Area Council, the PDP’s Mohammed Kasim emerged victorious with 22,165 votes, defeating APC’s Yahaya Shehu, who scored 17,788 votes.
In Rivers State, APC candidate Henrietta Loolo won the Khana Constituency II by-election into the Rivers State House of Assembly, polling 7,647 votes to defeat candidates of other political parties. The by-election was conducted to fill the vacancy created by the death of former lawmaker Dinebari Loolo. Khana Constituency II comprises 155 polling units across eight wards.
INEC also declared APC’s Napoleon Ukalikpe winner of the Ahoada East II Constituency by-election with 3,980 votes. The seat became vacant following the resignation of Edison Ehie, who was appointed Chief of Staff to the state governor. The by-elections filled two vacant seats in the Rivers State 10th Assembly.
In Kano State, the APC clinched both the Ungogo and Kano Municipal State Assembly by-elections amid low voter turnout. In Kano Municipal Constituency, APC candidate Aliyu Daneji secured 7,484 votes to win the seat and represent the constituency in the Kano State House of Assembly. The Returning Officer, Ibrahim Siraj, declared him duly elected, having met the legal requirements and scored the highest number of valid votes cast.
Similarly, in Ungogo Constituency, APC’s Aminu Sa’ad polled 8,975 votes to win the seat, with the Returning Officer, Ali Abdullahi, announcing the result.
Major opposition parties, including the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), the PDP, and the ADC, did not participate in the Kano by-elections and were not on the ballot.
INEC conducted elections across the six area councils of the FCT for chairmanship and councillorship positions. By-elections were also held in Ahoada East II and Khana II constituencies of Rivers State, while legislative elections took place in Kano Municipal and Ungogo constituencies in Kano State.
Ahead of the FCT polls, concerns had arisen following a disagreement between FCT Minister Nyesom Wike and FCT Senator Ireti Kingibe over movement restrictions. Kingibe criticised the 22-hour restriction on human and vehicular movement as excessive and undemocratic, while Wike maintained that the directive was approved by President Bola Tinubu and not imposed unilaterally.
President Tinubu later congratulated the winners in the FCT, Rivers, and Kano elections, urging them to serve with humility, patriotism, and dedication.
In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the President commended INEC, security agencies, and voters for the peaceful conduct of the polls, noting that the exercise further strengthens Nigeria’s democratic institutions.
