Tinubu Hails INEC, Congratulates APC on By-Election Victories

President Bola Tinubu has commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the conduct of the recent by-elections across several states and urged political parties to embrace the spirit of sportsmanship. In a statement issued on Sunday by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the President congratulated the new APC National Chairman, Dr. Nentawe Yilwatda, describing the party’s performance as an “emphatic first victory” under his leadership.

“Chairman Nentawe Yilwatda has shown leadership capacity and demonstrated what is achievable when popular candidates are fielded and with unity of purpose among party leaders,” Tinubu said. He also thanked the electorate for reposing confidence in the ruling party and assured them that his administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda would deliver a “better, more secure and prosperous Nigeria.”

According to INEC’s declared results, the All Progressives Congress (APC) won in 12 constituencies, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) secured two, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) claimed one, while the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) took one. In Kaduna State, APC swept all three contests, including the Chikun/Kajuru federal constituency where Felix Bagudu polled 34,580 votes to defeat the PDP candidate, who had 11,491. The victory marked the first time the ruling party had won in Chikun and Kajuru since 1999. In Taraba State, APC’s Abner Shittu emerged winner of the Karim One constituency with 5,895 votes, edging PDP’s Ali Kanda, who scored 5,488 in a tight race. In Oyo State, PDP’s Folajimi Oyekunle was declared winner of the Ibadan North federal constituency, defeating APC’s Adewale Olatunji. In Zamfara, the Kaura-Namoda South constituency election was declared inconclusive after cancellations in two wards left the margin of lead smaller than the number of affected voters.

The NNPP rejected the outcome of the Tsanyawa/Ghari constituency election in Kano State, accusing INEC of collusion with “unpatriotic politicians” and faulting the collation process. In contrast, APGA celebrated its victory in Anambra, with Governor Chukwuma Soludo declaring that the results proved the Labour Party (LP) and the African Democratic Congress (ADC) were “dead” and “non-existent” in the state. He pointed to APGA’s Emmanuel Nwachukwu’s landslide win in the Anambra South senatorial district, replacing the late Senator Ifeanyi Ubah, as evidence of the party’s dominance.

INEC explained that the by-elections were conducted to fill vacancies created by resignations and deaths of sitting lawmakers across Jigawa, Edo, Ogun, Oyo, Adamawa, Anambra, Kaduna, Kano, Taraba, Kogi, Niger, Enugu, and Zamfara states.