Outcome of APC vs PDP Battle at Defence Minister's Polling Unit Finally Announced
- The All Progressives Congress (APC) secured victory at the polling unit of Defence Minister Mohammed Badaru during the Jigawa by-election
- In Kano, APC’s Garba Ya’u Gwarmai won the Ghari/Tsanyawa supplementary poll with over 31,000 votes, defeating NNPP’s Yusuf Ali Maigado
- Meanwhile, NNPP clinched the Bagwai/Shanono state assembly seat, sustaining the fierce rivalry with APC in Kano politics
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has recorded electoral successes in two North-West states, Jigawa and Kano, following tightly contested by-elections held over the weekend.
At Polling Unit 002 of Babura Kofar Arewa Primary School in Jigawa, where the Minister of Defence Mohammed Badaru Abubakar voted, the APC polled 188 votes against the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which secured 164.
Source: Facebook
Badaru, a former governor of the state, cast his ballot under heavy security presence but declined to speak with reporters before leaving the venue.
Tinubu's minister delivers polling unit
Confusion briefly arose when initial reports suggested the APC lost at the minister’s polling station. The mix-up was traced to results from Polling Unit 001, located within the same school but different from the booth where Badaru voted.
The by-election in Garki-Babura Federal Constituency witnessed strong security deployment, with personnel of the Nigeria Police, the Civil Defence Corps, and the Immigration Service stationed across the area.
Observers reported a peaceful atmosphere, while normal commercial activity continued in several towns within the constituency.
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Minister of State for Education, Suwaiba Ahmad, monitored proceedings at Primary Yamma (005) and praised the conduct of the exercise.
She expressed confidence that the APC would retain dominance in the constituency once collation was completed.
Voter turnout in most polling units was relatively high according to multiple reports, reflecting strong public interest in the election.
APC battles NNPP in Kano
In neighbouring Kano State, the APC also emerged victorious in the Ghari/Tsanyawa supplementary election.
Returning officer Professor Muhammad Waziri of Bayero University declared APC candidate Garba Ya’u Gwarmai winner with 31,472 votes, defeating New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) candidate Yusuf Ali Maigado, who garnered 27,931.
The supplementary poll followed an earlier inconclusive result, and Gwarmai’s margin of 3,541 votes handed APC a decisive win. The outcome further solidifies the party’s standing in Kano, where competition between the APC and NNPP remains fierce.
However, the NNPP recorded success in another Kano race, securing victory in the Bagwai/Shanono state assembly by-election.
The returning officer, Professor Hassan Adamu Shitu, announced Ali Hassan Kiyawa of NNPP winner with 16,198 votes, while Ahmad Muhammad Kadamu of the APC polled 5,347.
The contest sparked tension at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) office in Kano as NNPP leaders accused officials of attempting to influence the Ghari/Tsanyawa outcome. Party members staged a sit-in until the final declaration was made.
INEC urged to cancel Kano election
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the APC asked INEC to cancel the bye-election for Shanono/ Bagwai Constituency and the rerun election for Ghari constituency in Kano.
In a statement issued signed by its national spokesperson Felix Morka, the party said the elections were marred by “extreme violence and disruption by armed thugs across several polling units” in the affected areas.
According to Morka, “verifiable reports from Shanono and Bagwai local government areas and Ghari constituency have voters fleeing polling areas, with deployed security personnel overwhelmed by the violence, making the prospects of a credible election impossible.”
Source: Legit.ng
