Politics
Gombe, Kano, Bauchi, Delta Bye-Elections Provide Lessons For 2027 – Amupitan
Prof. Amupitan said the elections provided the Commission with an opportunity to assess its logistics, technology and administrative preparedness for future nationwide polls.
Speaking on Saturday while monitoring the elections from INEC’s National Situation Room at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja, the INEC Chairman said no election should be regarded as routine, stressing that every electoral exercise offers lessons for improving subsequent polls.
The four bye-elections were conducted in Gombe/Kwami/Funakaye Federal Constituency of Gombe State; Dawakin Kudu State Constituency of Kano State; Sakwa and Disina State Constituencies of Bauchi State; and Udu State Constituency of Delta State.
“These four bye-elections provide indispensable operational lessons for the Commission as we systematically chart our roadmap toward the 2027 General Election,” Prof. Amupitan said.
He added that the Commission would use the experience from the elections to continuously audit its logistics framework, test its technological deployment and evaluate the readiness of its field operations.
The INEC Chairman, who was accompanied by National Commissioners and senior management officials, said operational bottlenecks identified before the polls were promptly addressed.
“Our primary mandate in the Situation Room is monitoring and proactive crisis resolution,” he said, assuring Nigerians that the Commission remained committed to improving its processes and strengthening public confidence in future elections.
Prof. Amupitan also commended the technical team and other officials in the Situation Room for facilitating the seamless monitoring of the multi-state elections.
The coalition described the incident as an aftermath of “primitive and aggressive tribalism” in a statement signed by its spokesman, Pastor Edewor Egedegbe, and made available to journalists in Warri at the weekend.
The group described the clash as “an existential assault on human dignity and a fundamental betrayal of the social contract,” while calling on security agencies to strictly enforce the Criminal Code Act against those responsible.
“Those who orchestrated and participated in Friday’s madness and previous actions in this regard must be prosecuted swiftly and publicly,” the coalition said.
While acknowledging the Delta State Government’s directive to law enforcement personnel to investigate the incident, the coalition said the authorities should move beyond directives and ensure the immediate arrest of those responsible.
It said the disruption of activities along the Effurun-Warri corridor affected residents, including market women, daily-wage workers and business owners, who had to bear the consequences of the violence.
The coalition also cited Sections 33 and 41 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, which guarantee the rights to life and freedom of movement, arguing that the disruption of the corridor amounted to an infringement on those rights.
It condemned the use of violence in political activities, saying democracy should be based on the contest of ideas rather than physical attacks.
“The ballot box is an instrument of human self-determination, not a justification for seasonal bloodletting,” the group said.
The coalition further called on political leaders to publicly disown acts of violence and caution their supporters against hate speech and electoral sabotage.
It urged traditional, religious and community leaders in Delta State to join efforts to prevent further violence and protect public spaces.
“We appeal to the residents of Effurun, Warri, and the Uvwie community not to allow themselves to be weaponised by elites,” the coalition said.
It added, “Delta State belongs to all of us. Effurun and Warri are spaces for humans to flourish, not to be casualties for political gladiators.”
The party described the campaign council as unauthorised, saying the list did not emanate from the NDC and should therefore be disregarded by members of the public and the media.
The NDC National Chairman, Senator Cleopas Moses, made the position known in a statement on Saturday, following the unveiling of the Council by the support group on Thursday.
The 59-member committee comprises zonal and state coordinators as well as directors responsible for mobilisation, women’s affairs, strategy, security, legal affairs and other areas.
The OK Movement had announced its Director-General, Mr John Ughulu, and National Secretary, Saadatu Sani, as the Director-General and Secretary of the campaign council, respectively.
But Senator Moses said the party leadership was not involved in the constitution of the council.
“The party hereby dissociates itself in totality from the said OK Movement PCC announcement. It did not emanate from the party and should be disregarded by the public and the media,” he said.
The NDC chairman stressed that all candidates of the party remained subject to the authority and discipline of the party and were not contesting as independent candidates.
“All candidates of the party must appreciate that they are not running as independent candidates. They are products of the party and remain subject to the authority and discipline of the party.
“Therefore, only the party’s leadership can constitute and announce a Presidential Campaign Council”, Senator Moses said.
He warned members, candidates and support groups against announcing or operating campaign structures in the name of the party without approval from its National Working Committee (NWC).
“Henceforth, no individual or group is authorised to announce, constitute, or publish any campaign council, structure, or organ in the name of the party without prior approval from the National Working Committee (NWC),” he added.
Senator Moses acknowledged the contributions of support groups to the party’s activities but cautioned them against creating structures that could function as alternatives to the recognised party organs.
“While the party will continue to work collaboratively with all support groups, such groups should not see themselves as alternative party structures or parallel organs of the party,” he said.
He also urged members and support groups with grievances to use the party’s internal mechanisms rather than resorting to public criticism.
The NDC chairman further disclosed that Mr Ughulu would be referred to the appropriate disciplinary organ of the party over what he described as “his excesses during the primary election in Lagos State” and “repeated disregard for party authority.”
According to the official results, the All Progressives Congress (APC) won four of the bye-elections while the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) won in Bauchi State.
In Gombe State, APC candidate Kallamu Usman MaiJama’a won the Gombe/Kwami/Funakaye Federal Constituency by-election with 41,121 votes. The Labour Party scored 3,553 votes, while the APM polled 872.
In Kano State, APC candidate Husseini Datti was declared winner of the Dawakin Kudu State Constituency by-election with 22,890 votes. The Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) scored 270 votes and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) 108.
In Delta State, APC candidate, Mr Okolosi Ator, won the Udu State Constituency by-election with 8,724 votes, against 214 votes for the PDP.
In Bauchi State, APC candidate, Mr Yakubu Ali, won the Disina State Constituency by-election with 5,846 votes. The APM scored 5,225 votes while the PRP scored 3,701 votes.
The APM recorded its sole victory in Sakwa State Constituency, Zaki Local Government Area, Bauchi State, where Hon. Adamu Yakubu was declared winner with 8,515 votes. The APC scored 3,771 votes, the PDP 2,076 and the PRP 727.
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