The New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP) secured a decisive victory in Saturday’s Bagwai/Shanono State Assembly by-election in northern Nigeria, according to official results announced early Sunday. The election, held to fill a seat left vacant after the death of former lawmaker Hallilu Kundila, saw NNPP candidate Ali Lawal Al-Hassan clinch 16,198 votes, trouncing rivals from Nigeria’s two dominant parties and signaling a potential shift in local political dynamics.
Professor Hassan Adamu Shitu, the election’s Returning Officer, declared the outcome at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) collation center in Bagwai. Al-Hassan’s tally dwarfed the 5,347 votes secured by Abdullahi Ahmed Muhammed of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the 159 votes garnered by Suleiman Muhammad Lawan of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). A total of 11 political parties participated in the contest, though most attracted negligible support in the final count.
The vacancy arose after Kundila, an APC member representing the constituency in Kano State’s legislature until his death, left the seat open. Analysts note that Al-Hassan’s landslide win — capturing over 74% of recorded votes — underscores the NNPP’s growing influence in a region traditionally contested by the APC and PDP. The result also highlights voter responsiveness to localized campaigns and grassroots mobilization in Nigeria’s hyper-competitive electoral landscape.
While low voter turnout and logistical challenges are common in Nigerian by-elections, the poll proceeded without reported major disruptions. The outcome is expected to bolster the NNPP’s representation in Kano’s State Assembly, where it already holds a majority. Observers view the win as a consolidation of the party’s foothold in northwest Nigeria, a key battleground ahead of future elections.
Kano, Nigeria’s second-most populous state, has seen political tensions between the NNPP and APC intensify in recent years, particularly after NNPP presidential candidate Rabiu Kwankwaso secured over 298,000 votes in the 2023 national elections. The latest result reinforces the party’s grassroots appeal but also raises questions about the APC’s ability to retain support in areas once considered strongholds. Authorities have not yet commented on whether losing parties plan to challenge the outcome, though the margin of victory suggests legal disputes are unlikely.
With regional elections looming in 2027, the Bagwai/Shanono by-election offers an early indicator of shifting voter priorities in Nigeria’s north, where socioeconomic challenges and security concerns often dominate political discourse. The NNPP’s success reflects its ability to capitalize on these issues while positioning itself as a credible alternative to Nigeria’s established political blocs.
