ADC, NDC, NNPP shun bye-election in Kano

The African Democratic Congress (ADC), National Democratic Congress (NDC), and New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) did not participate in the Dawakin Kudu/Warawa Federal Constituency bye-election held on Saturday in Kano State, as electoral authorities and security agencies hailed the exercise as peaceful, orderly, and violence-free.

Chairman of Warawa Local Government Council, Hon. Sanusi Ahmad Garindau, disclosed that only three political parties fielded candidates for the bye-election—the All Progressives Congress (APC), Labour Party (LP), and Allied Peoples Movement (APM).

Speaking during the election, Garindau attributed the peaceful conduct of the poll to the peace initiative championed by Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf.

According to him, the governor had directed local authorities and stakeholders to ensure that no violence occurred during the election, stressing that the protection of lives remained paramount.

“Ahead of the bye-election, Governor Yusuf directed us to ensure that no blood is shed in the name of politics. The government also provided financial support to ensure all logistics were adequately taken care of, which helped prevent vote-buying and other electoral malpractices,” he said.

The council chairman added that he spent the night in his office supervising preparations to ensure a hitch-free exercise.

He commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies for the timely deployment of personnel and election materials to the 143 polling units across the constituency.

Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission and the Kano State Police Command praised voters, political parties, and security personnel for their roles in ensuring a peaceful election.

Speaking with journalists after monitoring the poll in Warawa and Dawakin Kudu Local Government Areas, Kano State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Professor Abdul Zango, expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the election, noting that no incidents of violence, intimidation, or technological failure were recorded.

“So good, you have seen things for yourself. The election has gone on very well, with no violence and no rancour. There was a massive turnout, especially in Warawa. It reflects the planning and coordination, particularly in terms of security,” he said.

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Zango commended the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies for their meticulous planning and deployment, which he said contributed significantly to the peaceful atmosphere across polling units.

On the performance of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), the REC said the commission recorded no technical challenges during the election.

“We have had no challenge in terms of technology. The BVAS worked so well. Two or three days before the election, we updated our devices to ensure optimum performance, and it reflected in the outcome,” he stated.

He added that INEC would continue improving the technology ahead of future elections, emphasizing that no cases of BVAS malfunction were reported from any polling unit.

The REC also linked variations in voter turnout to differences in voter population across polling units, noting that some centres had fewer than 300 registered voters while others had close to 1,000.

He reiterated the commission’s commitment to voter education and sensitization, urging citizens to actively participate in the democratic process.

“Democracy only thrives when citizens come out to exercise their franchise. We have intensified our sensitization efforts, while political parties and other stakeholders also played important roles in mobilizing voters,” he said.

Similarly, Kano State Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Adamu Bakori, who oversaw election security, described the bye-election as one of the most peaceful electoral exercises conducted in recent years.

“The election is without rancour. We did not see anybody carrying weapons as we used to see before,” the police commissioner said.
Bakori attributed the peaceful conduct of the poll to effective leadership, improved collaboration among security agencies, public awareness campaigns, and greater cooperation from residents.

He noted that unlike previous elections, where hundreds of suspects were arrested for electoral offences, no incidents involving violence, weapons, or criminal activity were recorded during the bye-election.

“In the last election, we arrested over 300 suspects with arms and weapons. Today, not even a stick was seen. No case of violence has been reported to us,” he stated.

The commissioner confirmed that suspects arrested during previous elections had been prosecuted and assured voters that security agencies would continue strengthening election security ahead of the 2027 general elections.

“People should come out in 2027 without fear. With continued training, intelligence gathering, public awareness, and cooperation from citizens, we will improve upon what we have achieved today,” he said.

Observers have described the peaceful conduct of the Dawakin Kudu/Warawa Federal Constituency bye-election as a positive signal for future electoral exercises in Kano State and across Nigeria, highlighting growing confidence in electoral management and security coordination.