THE by-election for the Ungogo and Kano Municipal State Assembly constituencies in Kano State was overshadowed by controversy on Saturday as three major opposition parties — the African Democratic Congress (ADC), New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) shunned the polls, citing alleged irregularities and fears of violence.
News Point Nigeria reports that the rerun election was conducted to fill the vacant seats left by the deaths of Aminu Sa’ad Ungogo and Sarki Aliyu Daneji, both elected on the NNPP platform, who passed away on the same day in December 2025.
Leaders of the boycotting parties alleged that the structure and procedural arrangements of the rerun were skewed in favour of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The Kano State Chairman of the ADC, Musa Ungogo, said the party deliberately avoided participation to preserve peace, particularly during the holy month of Ramadan.
“We are trying to avoid unnecessary violence in the state. It is the month of Ramadan, and we are trying to avoid anything that could disrupt the peace,” he said.
Ungogo further alleged that the exercise had been designed to favour the ruling party.
“They will manipulate the election and hand it over to the ruling party. We will not be part of such an arrangement,” he added, stressing that with barely 13 to 14 months before the 2027 general elections, the party would focus on broader political strategies instead of what he described as a flawed rerun.
Similarly, the PDP State Chairman, Yusuf Kibiya, condemned the structure of the election, describing it as fundamentally biased. He disclosed that the party had formally lodged complaints with the electoral commission but received no response. Kibiya expressed confidence that the judiciary would ultimately address their grievances.
The State Chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) also criticised the process, describing it as “shameful” and impractical. According to him, the Resident Electoral Commissioner issued a letter on Friday directing the party to conduct a primary election just four days before the poll — a timeline he described as impossible to meet.
“We have written and copied the national office. We are going to court, and we are hopeful that justice will be done,” he said.
Meanwhile, the NNPP spokesperson in Kano, Ibrahim Baraya, explained that the party’s decision to abstain was influenced by political developments surrounding the candidates.
According to him, the APC candidates were originally nominated by the NNPP as replacements for the deceased lawmakers before defecting.
“They are the sons of the deceased lawmakers. After their death, the NNPP national leader selected them to replace their fathers. We do not have any problem with them. Even the governor was elected under the NNPP platform. We know they were forced to join the APC,” Baraya said.
The State Electoral Commissioner, Abdu Zango, attributed the low voter turnout largely to Ramadan and the perception that the by-election was not a major contest.
“Two things are responsible for the voter apathy — Ramadan and the nature of the election, which people see as not a big one,” he explained, adding that the exercise remained peaceful due to adequate security deployment.
Kano State Governor, Abba Yusuf, however, commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies for what he described as a peaceful and orderly poll.
In a statement issued by his spokesperson, Sunusi Tofa, the governor hailed the calm atmosphere across polling units as evidence of growing political maturity among residents.
“For the first time in recent history, we witnessed an election free of crisis, use of weapons and any form of manipulation in Kano. This development aligns with our Kano First Agenda. The era of killing, maiming and disenfranchising voters is over,” Yusuf was quoted as saying.
He also praised political parties and stakeholders — particularly members of the APC — for adhering to electoral guidelines and refraining from actions that could disrupt the process.
While controversy trailed the Kano rerun, the story was different in Rivers State, where candidates of the APC secured victory in two State Assembly by-elections.
In Ahoada East Constituency 2, the Returning Officer, Prof. Rosemary Ogbo, declared Napoleon Ukalikpe winner after polling 3,980 votes to defeat candidates of several other parties. The Action Alliance candidate scored 33 votes, while the Action Party of Nigeria secured 38 votes. Other parties recorded minimal tallies.
Ogbo declared that Ukalikpe, having satisfied the requirements of the law and scored the highest number of valid votes, was duly returned elected.
In Khana Constituency 2, the APC candidate, Burabari Loloo, emerged victorious with 7,647 votes, defeating candidates of the African Alliance, NNPP, Young Peoples Party, and Zenith Labour Party.
Speaking after her victory, Loloo pledged inclusive representation. “I will involve every one of my constituents when I assume office,” she said.
Earlier, Ukalikpe had expressed satisfaction with the conduct of voters and security personnel after casting his ballot in Ogbelle Town, describing the process as smooth and orderly.
At the Khana Constituency 2 collation centre in Taabaa, security was tight as officials sorted and verified results in line with INEC guidelines. Party agents and accredited observers monitored proceedings closely.
The Rivers State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Prof. Gabriel Yomere, described the elections as peaceful and orderly, noting that there were no incidents of violence.
Commenting on voter apathy, Yomere said INEC had fulfilled its responsibility through adequate sensitisation, adding that turnout ultimately rests with the electorate.
Across both states, security agencies maintained a visible presence, ensuring that the exercise concluded without major disturbances.