The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) winners in by-elections conducted in Ondo, Rivers and Kano states.
In Ondo State, Prof. Dayo Faduyile of the APC was declared winner of the Ondo South Senatorial District by-election held on Saturday.
The Returning Officer, Prof. Gbenga Solomon-Ibileye, Vice Chancellor of the Federal University, Lokoja, announced the result on Sunday at the collation centre in Okitipupa Local Government Area.
Solomon-Ibileye said Faduyile polled 68,474 votes to defeat Adeolu Akinwunmi of the Allied People’s Movement (APM), who scored 1,411 votes.
Adesanya Olaoluwa of the Action People’s Party (APP) secured 213 votes, while Clement Funso-Nejo of the Boot Party (BP) polled 70 votes.
The Returning Officer said the total votes cast stood at 70,770, while 602 votes were rejected.
Speaking after the declaration, the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner in Ondo State, Mr Mutiu Agboke, described the by-election as a testing ground for the 2027 general elections.
Agboke said the few hiccups recorded during the exercise would help the commission prepare better for future elections.
“The results of the election reflected the people’s voice and thank God that all INEC staff who went to the riverine areas came back safely and no negative report was recorded anywhere,” he said.
The election was held across six local government areas: Okitipupa, Ilaje, Ese-Odo, Irele, Odigbo and Ile-Oluji/Oke-Igbo.
The by-election followed the appointment of Sen. Jimoh Ibrahim as Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations.
In Rivers State, INEC declared Mr Wogu Olaka Johnson of the PDP winner of the Rivers South-East Senatorial District by-election held on June 20.
The Returning Officer, Prof. Rosemary Ogwu, announced the result on Sunday at the Rivers South-East Senatorial Collation Centre in Bori, Khana Local Government Area.
Ogwu said Johnson polled 47,961 votes to defeat three other candidates.
According to her, Mr Osar Erewari of the APC scored 1,647 votes, while Mr Douglas Fabeka Beke of the Action Alliance secured 1,175 votes.
Mr Sam Barikwa of the Labour Party polled 367 votes.
“I, Professor Rosemary Ogwu, hereby certify that I am the Returning Officer for the 2026 Rivers South-East Senatorial District by-election held on June 20, 2026,” she said.
She added that Johnson, having satisfied the requirements of the law and scored the highest number of valid votes cast, was returned elected.
The declaration was witnessed by INEC National Commissioner, Mrs May Agbamuche-Mbu; Rivers State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr Johnson Siniken; Delta State REC, Mr Etekamba Omoren; and other senior INEC officials, party agents, security personnel and journalists.
The by-election was conducted to fill the vacant Rivers South-East Senatorial seat following the death of Senator Barry Barinada Mpigi in February.
In Kano State, the APC candidate, Rabiu Shuaibu, was declared winner of the Dawakin Kudu/Warawa Federal Constituency by-election.
The Returning Officer, Prof. Umar Sani, announced the result after the election held on Saturday.
Sani said Shuaibu polled 35,356 votes to defeat Lawal Garba-Haruna of the APM, who scored 268 votes, and Abubakar Yahaya-Muhammad of the Labour Party, who secured 98 votes.
“The election was contested. Rabiu Shuaibu of the APC, having satisfied the requirements of the law, is hereby declared the winner and returned elected,” he said.
The by-election was conducted to fill the vacancy created by the death of Muhammad Danjuma-Hassan of the New Nigeria Peoples Party.