Khadijah Shehu Abdulkareem
ABUJA, NIGERIA – The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), the African Democratic Congress (ADC), and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have clashed over the outcome of Saturday’s by-elections held across 16 constituencies in 12 states.
The APC emerged as the biggest winner, securing victories in 12 constituencies. The Peoples Democratic Party claimed wins in Oyo and Adamawa states, while the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) triumphed in Kano, and the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) took Anambra State. The ADC, however, failed to win any seat.
In a statement on Sunday, ADC National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, rejected the exercise, alleging it was marred by intimidation, violence, and corruption.
“The outcome of the by-elections does not reflect the true strength of the ADC as the coalition platform for opposition leaders. What Nigerians witnessed was yet another reminder that under the current administration, democracy, like the economy and security, continues to decline under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the APC,” Abdullahi said.
The ADC, adopted on July 1 as the coalition party of key opposition figures including Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Rotimi Amaechi, and Nasir El-Rufai, had been expected to test its strength in the polls ahead of the 2027 elections.
Instead, the party alleged widespread vote-buying, ballot box snatching, voter intimidation, and irregularities. It claimed that in some states, entire polling units were nullified, while in others, thugs armed with weapons were arrested on election day.
According to the ADC, one alleged vote-buyer was caught with N25.9 million in cash meant to sway voters, while some election officials were reportedly complicit in inducements.
The party insisted that the election results should not be seen as a measure of the opposition coalition’s capacity but rather as evidence of “a corrupted electoral process under the APC.”
Meanwhile, the APC has maintained that its victories reflect the confidence of Nigerians in President Tinubu’s leadership, while the PDP celebrated its wins as proof that it remains a force in key states.