The All Progressives Congress (APC) has cleared both seats contested in the Rivers State House of Assembly by-elections, even as opposition parties in Kano State stayed away from similar polls, citing alleged irregularities and security concerns.

In Rivers State, candidates of the APC, Napoleon Ukalikpe and Burabari Loloo, emerged winners in Ahoada East State Constituency 2 and Khana State Constituency 2 respectively, following Saturday’s by-elections conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission.

Announcing the results, the Returning Officer, Prof. Rosemary Ogbo, said the APC candidates polled the highest number of valid votes and met all constitutional requirements. Ukalikpe secured 3,980 votes to defeat candidates of other parties in Ahoada East, while Loloo recorded 7,647 votes in Khana Constituency 2.

Ogbo declared both candidates duly elected, describing the exercise as peaceful and keenly contested. The Rivers State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Prof. Gabriel Yomere, also commended the orderly conduct of the polls, attributing observed voter apathy in some areas to factors beyond INEC’s control.

Speaking after casting his vote in Ogbelle Town, Ukalikpe expressed satisfaction with the smooth conduct of the exercise and praised security agencies for maintaining calm across the constituency. Loloo, on her part, pledged inclusive representation, promising to carry all segments of her constituency along when she assumes office.

Meanwhile, in Kano State, opposition parties including the African Democratic Congress (ADC), New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) boycotted the by-elections for Ungogo and Kano Municipal constituencies.

The parties alleged that the rerun elections were structured to favour the ruling APC, citing procedural lapses, fears of violence and late directives from electoral authorities as reasons for their withdrawal.

State Chairman of the ADC, Musa Ungogo, said the party opted out to preserve peace, particularly during the Ramadan period, adding that participating in what he described as a “skewed process” would be counter-productive.

Similarly, PDP chairman in the state, Yusuf Kibiya, said the party had lodged formal complaints with INEC over the conduct of the polls but received no response, noting that the matter would be pursued in court.

The NNPP spokesperson, Ibrahim Baraya, said the party deliberately stayed away because the APC candidates were originally its nominees and children of the deceased lawmakers whose deaths necessitated the by-elections.

Reacting, the Kano State Electoral Commissioner, Abdu Zango, attributed low voter turnout to Ramadan and public perception that the exercise was a minor election, insisting that the process was peaceful and free of security breaches.

Kano State Governor, Abba Yusuf, commended INEC and security agencies for what he described as a peaceful and orderly exercise, saying it reflected growing political maturity among the electorate.

The Kano by-elections were held to fill vacant seats following the deaths of Aminu Sa’ad Ungogo and Sarki Aliyu Daneji, both of whom were elected on the NNPP platform.