The All Progressives Congress (APC) has won two by-elections for the Ungogo and Kano Municipal constituencies in the Kano State House of Assembly, though both contests were marked by significantly low voter turnout.
In Kano Municipal, APC candidate Aliyu Nabil Daneji secured 7,484 votes, as announced by Returning Officer Professor Ibrahim Tajo Siraj, who declared him the winner. In Ungogo, APC candidate Aminu Sa’ad clinched victory with 8,975 votes, a result confirmed by Returning Officer Professor Ali Tijjani Abdullahi.
The by-elections were held to fill seats left vacant by the deaths of the previous lawmakers. Notably, the victorious candidates are the sons of the deceased representatives, highlighting a pattern of political succession in the region. Major opposition parties, including the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and the African Democratic Congress (ADC), did not field candidates, resulting in a ballot with only nine contestants across both seats.
Resident Electoral Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Kano, Ambassador Abdu Zango, attributed the poor voter participation primarily to the election’s timing during the Ramadan period and the perception that it was a limited contest. “First of all, I think the timing, maybe Ramadan. Second, I think the general feeling is that this is a very small election involving only two candidates and very few parties,” Zango stated. He described the overall conduct as peaceful but acknowledged that turnout was low in numerous polling units.
The outcomes further consolidate the APC’s control in the state assembly. With the opposition absent from the ballot, the by-elections offered little competitive contest, a factor that likely contributed to the subdued public engagement. The results also underscore the influence of political families in Kano’s electoral landscape, where the sons of former officeholders have now been elected to replace their fathers.
These by-elections, while procedurally complete, point to ongoing challenges regarding voter mobilisation in off-cycle elections, particularly when rivalry is minimal. The peaceful execution, despite the low turnout, may be viewed as a operational success for INEC, though questions about democratic depth and competition remain. The newly elected assembly members are expected to be sworn in shortly, resuming legislative duties in the state’s principal lawmaking chamber.
