By Israel Bulus, Kaduna
The candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Hon. Felix Bagudu, has been declared winner of the Chikun–Kajuru Federal Constituency bye-election in Kaduna State, securing a landslide victory over his rivals.
Announcing the results on Sunday at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) office in Kujama, the Returning Officer, Prof. Abubakar Mohammad Jumare, said Bagudu polled 34,580 votes to defeat his closest challenger from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who scored 11,491 votes.
The outcome handed Bagudu a commanding margin of 23,089 votes, cementing his victory in what observers had earlier described as a tightly contested race.
Meanwhile, the electoral umpire also declared APC’s Isa Haruna Ihamo winner of the Zaria Kewaye State Constituency bye-election.
According to the official results, APC secured 26,613 votes, while the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the PDP followed with 5,721 and 5,331 votes respectively.
In the Basawa State Constituency bye-election, Returning Officer, Prof. Nasiru Rabiu, announced that the APC emerged victorious with 10,926 votes, defeating the PDP candidate, who scored 5,499 votes.
The string of victories further strengthened the APC’s hold on Kaduna politics, with jubilant supporters celebrating across Chikun, Kajuru, and Zaria on Sunday morning.
The bye-elections were conducted to fill vacant seats following untimely deaths, legal disputes, and political transitions. INEC commended the peaceful conduct of voters, while security agencies reported that the exercise was largely free of violence.
With the outcome, the APC has consolidated its dominance in both National and State Assembly seats from Kaduna, a development analysts say reflects the party’s growing grassroots acceptability under Governor Uba Sani’s leadership.
Reacting to the results, the Managing Director of the Kaduna State Roads Agency (KADRA), Engr. Abdullahi Baba Ahmed, described the polls as “the most credible in recent times.”
He commended INEC, security agencies, and stakeholders for ensuring a peaceful and transparent process, attributing the credibility of the exercise to the atmosphere of stability under Governor Uba Sani’s administration.
“The Chikun/Kajuru, Zaria-Kewaye, and Basawa bye-elections have proven to be the most credible we have witnessed so far. The turnout was impressive, and the process was orderly and transparent. This is a clear testimony to the sterling leadership of Governor Uba Sani, whose peace and development model has enhanced citizens’ confidence in democracy,” Ahmed said.
