APC Records Clean Sweep in Kaduna Bye-Elections

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has secured victory in all three bye-elections conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Saturday across Kaduna State.

In the keenly contested Chikun/Kajuru federal constituency race, APC’s candidate, Felix Bagudu, emerged winner with 34,580 votes, defeating his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) rival who finished second with 11,491 votes.

A further breakdown revealed that APC recorded a breakthrough win in Kajuru, polling 10,487 votes against PDP’s 6,789 votes. In Chikun, the ruling party scored 24,093 votes, while PDP managed 4,702 votes. The outcome marks the first time APC has triumphed in the two local governments, long regarded as PDP strongholds since the return of democracy in 1999.

The ruling party also consolidated its grip in the state with victories in the Zaria Kewaye and Basawa state constituencies.

Announcing the results for Zaria Kewaye on Sunday, the returning officer, Professor Balarabe Abdullahi, declared APC’s Isa Haruna Ihamo winner with 26,613 votes. His closest challenger, Nuhu Sada Abdullahi of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), polled 5,721 votes, while the PDP candidate, Mamuda Abdullahi Wappa, came third with 5,331 votes.

In the Basawa state constituency bye-election, the returning officer, Professor Nasiru Rabiu, announced APC as winner with 10,926 votes, ahead of the PDP candidate who garnered 5,499 votes.

The series of victories not only reaffirmed APC’s dominance in Kaduna politics but also reinforced its control in the Zaria zone, where the contests had been widely viewed as a litmus test of strength between the ruling party and the opposition.