APC Sweeps Nigerian By-Elections As Opposition Decries Violence And Vote-Buying.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has cemented its political dominance in Nigeria, securing a majority of seats in the by-elections held across 16 constituencies in 12 states, including Ogun, Edo, and Kaduna, on Saturday, 16 August 2025. Conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to fill vacant legislative seats in the National and State Assemblies, the polls were marred by opposition allegations of violence, voter intimidation, and vote-buying, casting a shadow over the results.
In Kaduna, the APC’s Joseph Bagudu won the Chikun/Kajuru Federal Constituency with 34,580 votes, defeating the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, who secured 11,491 votes. The party also triumphed in two state constituencies in Zaria, with Isa Haruna clinching the Zaria Kewaye seat with 26,613 votes and another APC candidate prevailing in Basawa with 10,926 votes. Despite low voter turnout, INEC and security agencies were praised for maintaining relative calm in Kaduna, a former PDP stronghold.
Edo State saw the APC’s Omosede Igbinedion dominate the Ovia Federal Constituency, while Joseph Ikpea secured the Edo Central Senatorial District, reinforcing the party’s influence in a key PDP region. In Ogun, Adesola Elegbeji of the APC won the Ikenne-Sagamu-Remo North Federal Constituency. However, the PDP’s Bolarinwa Oluwole alleged voter intimidation and violence by APC-affiliated thugs in Ogun, claiming security agencies failed to act.
Opposition parties, including the PDP, African Democratic Congress (ADC), and Social Democratic Party (SDP), condemned the electoral process. In Kaduna, the ADC-SDP coalition accused the APC-led state government of deploying 4,000 thugs to disrupt polling units and intimidate voters in Chikun/Kajuru and Zaria. They further alleged that INEC officials were bribed with land allocations and that local governments were pressured into funding an “election sabotage fund.” In Edo, a PDP leader claimed results were pre-written in Government House, with police allegedly blocking opposition agents from collation centres.
Vote-buying allegations were rife, particularly in Ogun and Kaduna. In Ogun, two PDP members, including the state chairman, and two INEC officials were arrested for alleged vote-buying. In Kaduna, a suspect was caught with ₦25 million, reportedly for voter inducement. The ADC labelled the elections a “rehearsal for 2027,” urging President Bola Tinubu and INEC to investigate and restore electoral credibility.
Despite the controversies, President Tinubu commended INEC for conducting “largely hitch-free polls,” asserting that the results reflected the people’s will. He congratulated the APC winners and praised the party’s new national chairman, Prof Nentawe Yilwatda, for his leadership. APC governors, including Uba Sani of Kaduna, Dapo Abiodun of Ogun, and Monday Okpebholo of Edo, celebrated the party’s haul of 12 out of 16 seats.
The opposition secured limited victories, with the PDP winning one seat in Ibadan North, Oyo State, under Governor Seyi Makinde’s influence, while the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) claimed two seats in Anambra, and the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) took one in Kano. The PDP’s internal leadership disputes and the Labour Party’s claims of intimidation further weakened the opposition’s performance.
As Nigeria approaches the 2027 general elections, the by-elections highlight ongoing electoral challenges. Opposition parties and observers have called on INEC to investigate rigging allegations, improve transparency in collation processes, and ensure voter safety. While the APC’s victories strengthen its legislative and grassroots dominance, the controversies underscore the need for reforms to safeguard Nigeria’s democratic process.
