Vacant legislative seats in states and the national assemblies will now be finally occupied as APC dominate in the by-elections conducted across 13 states
Following the by-elections conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Saturday, August 16, 2025, in 16 constituencies across 13 states in the country, several candidates emerged winners of vacant legislative seats after voters cast their votes.
The vacancies followed the resignation or death of serving members of the national and state assemblies.
The states in which by-elections were conducted were Jigawa, Edo, Ogun, Oyo, Adamawa, Anambra, Kaduna, Kano, Taraba, Kogi, Niger, Enugu, and Zamfara.
The by-elections covered two senatorial districts in Anambra and Edo states, five federal constituencies in Edo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Ogun, and Oyo states, and nine state constituencies in Adamawa, Anambra, Kaduna, Kano, Kogi, Niger, Taraba, and Zamfara.
Highlights of Results by States:
Anambra State
The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) candidates consolidated their base in the by-elections, clinching the Anambra South Senatorial District and the Onitsha North I State Assembly Constituency.
Nwachukwu, Bagudu, Oyekunle, others emerged winners of by-election
Emmanuel Nwachukwu of APGA was declared as the winner of the Anambra South Senatorial seat with 90,408 votes to defeat his closest rival, Azuka Okwuosa, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who scored 19,847 votes.
ADC’s Donald Amangbo came in a distant third with 2,889 votes. The Anambra South seat in the Senate became vacant following the death of Senator Ifeanyi Ubah, who represented the senatorial district.
In the State Assembly, Ifeoma Azikiwe of APGA secured Onitsha North Constituency 1 with 7,774 votes, beating Justina Azuka of ADC with 1,909, while Ezennia Ojekwe of APC and Njideka Ndiwe of YPP scored 1,371 and 655, respectively.
Kano
Ali Hassan of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) won the Bagwai/Shanono State Assembly by-election in Kano with 16,198 votes, defeating APC’s 5,347. While Garba Gwarmai of APC emerged the winner of the rerun election in the Ghari/Tsanyawa state constituency with 31,472 votes against NNPP’s Yusuf Maigado, who scored 27,931.
The Shanono/Bagwai seat became vacant following the death of APC lawmaker Halilu Kundila, while the Ghari/Tsanyawa seat was voided due to irregularities in the previous election.
Kaduna State
APC swept all three seats contested. It clinched the Federal House of Representatives seat for the Chikun/Kajuru constituency as well as two Kaduna State House of Assembly seats in Zaria.
In the Chikun/Kajuru Federal Constituency, Fidelix Bagudu (APC) polled 34,580 votes, ahead of PDP and ADC rivals who scored 11,491 and 3,477 votes, respectively. The Chikun/Kajuru Federal Constituency became vacant following the death of Rep. Ekene Abubakar Adams, who passed away in July 2024. He was a member of the Labour Party and also served as the Chairman of the House Committee on Sports.
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In the State Assembly, Dahiru Umar-Sani of APC won the Basawa constituency seat with 10,996 votes, defeating Muazu Danyaro of PDP, who scored 5,499. While Isa Mohammed (APC) in the Zaria Kewaye constituency scored 26,613 votes to beat candidates of SDP and PDP with 5,721 and 5,331, respectively.
Oyo State
PDP gained ground in Oyo State as Fola Oyekunle won the Ibadan North Federal Constituency by-election with 18,404 votes to defeat APC’s Adewale Olatunji, who secured 8,312, while ADC, APGA and ZLP trailed far behind with 88, 40 and 18 votes, respectively.
The Ibadan North Federal Constituency seat in the House of Representatives became vacant following the death of Rep. Olaide Akinremi, a member of the APC, who died on July 10, 2024. The deceased was a ranking member and house committee chairman on science and research.
Ogun State
Adesola Elegbeji of APC was declared the winner of the Ikenne/Sagamu/Remo North Federal Constituency of the Ogun by-election with 41,237 votes, ahead of Bolarinwa Oluwole of PDP, who scored 14,324. The Federal constituency seat in the House became vacant after the death of the deputy Chief Whip Adewunmi Onanuga, who represents Ikenne, Sagamu and Remo North in the Federal House of Assembly. Onanuga, an APC lawmaker, died on January 15, 2025, after a brief illness.
Kogi State
In the Okura constituency of the Kogi State Assembly, Hassan Shado of the APC secured 55,073 votes to defeat his closest rival from the PDP, who polled 1,038 votes. The candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) came third with 445 votes.
Jigawa State
Rabiu Mukhtar of the APC emerged the winner of the by-election held on Saturday in the Garki/Babura federal constituency of Jigawa State with 38,449 votes, defeating his main rival of the PDP, Isah Auwalu, who polled 13,519 votes. Sabo Salisu of NNPP received 2,931 votes, while Muktar Babangida of ZLP got 31 votes. The Garki/Babura federal constituency in the House became vacant following the death of Isa DogonYaro, who died on May 10, 2024.
Edo State
APC secured a double win in the Edo by-election as Omosede Igbinedion of APC secured Ovia Federal Constituency with 77,053 votes, far ahead of candidates of PDP and ADC with 3,838 and 925, respectively. The Ovia federal constituency seat in the House became vacant following the election of Rep. Dennis Idahosa to the position of Deputy Governor of Edo State.
While in Edo Central Senatorial District, Joseph Ikpea (APC) scored 105,129 votes, defeating PDP’s Joe Okojie with 15,146. The senatorial district seat in the senate became vacant following the election of Senator Monday Okpebholo as Governor of the state.
Niger State
Dogari Daje of APC won Munya Constituency in the Niger State Assembly with 12,556 votes, defeating PDP’s Sabon Sunday with 5,646.
Adamawa State
APC candidate for the Ganye by-election into the Adamawa State House Assembly, Misa Musa Jauro, was declared winner by INEC. Musa polled a total of 16,923 to beat his counterpart of the PDP, Buba Muhammad Joda, who received 16,794 votes. The ADC got 42 votes, APGA 14, AAC 17, and AA 2 votes.
Taraba State
Abner Shittu, the candidate of the APC, emerged winner of the Karim Lamido I State Constituency by-election in Taraba State with 5,901 votes, narrowly beating PDP’s Ali Kanda, who got 5,527. ADC’s Badina Garba scored 2,069 votes to finish a distant third.
Zamfara’s by-election inconclusive
The by-election was declared inconclusive in Sakajiki and Kambarawa wards due to cancellations. APC led with 7,001 votes against PDP’s 5,339, but INEC Returning Officer for the election, Lawal Sa’adu of the Federal University Gusau, noted that the margin of 1,662 was less than the number of collected PVCs (3,265) in affected polling units; therefore, the election cannot be concluded.
citing Sections 24 subsection 2 & 3, Section 47 subsection 3, and Section 51 subsection 2 of the Electoral Act 2022 as reasons for declaring the election inconclusive.
About by-election
A by-election (also called a special election in some countries) is an election held to fill a vacant seat in a legislative body between regular general elections. This vacancy may arise due to reasons such as the death, resignation, or disqualification of the incumbent. Only voters in the specific electoral district affected by the vacancy participate in the by-election.
By-elections serve to ensure that the vacant seat is filled so that the legislative body can maintain its full membership. Unlike general elections, by-elections usually focus only on the vacant seat and do not involve a party vote or the election of multiple members.
