The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has officially released the complete list of candidates for the upcoming bye-elections scheduled to take place in six states on Saturday, June 20. The bye-elections will be conducted concurrently with the Ekiti State governorship election.
Constituencies and Candidates
The bye-elections will fill vacancies in the Senate for Enugu, Nasarawa, Rivers, and Ondo states, as well as a House of Representatives seat in Kano State and a State House of Assembly seat in Kebbi State. According to the INEC list, the political parties contesting include the All Progressives Congress (APC), Action Alliance (AA), Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Action Peoples Party (APP), Boot Party (BP), New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Ondo South Senatorial District
- Adesanya Olaoluwa – APP
- Faduyile Francis Adedayo – APC
- Akinwumi Adeolu Harrison – APM
- Nejo Funso Clement – BP
Nasarawa North Senatorial District
- Halilu Danladi Envwulu-Aza – APC
- Maku Labaran – LP
- John Paul Araneshri – NNPP
- Emmanuel David Ombugadu – PDP
Rivers South East Senatorial District
- Douglas Fabeeke Beeka – AA
- Osarosaka Ebenezer Erewari – APC
- Sam Kinanee Barikpoa – LP
- Nwogu Olaka Johnson – PDP
Enugu North Senatorial District
- Asogwa Ikeje Israel – APC
- Aneke Kingsley Chukwuebuka – BP
- Ezeme Nestor Chika – PDP
Kebbi State House of Assembly – Zuru Constituency
- Garba Aiki Rabiu – APC
- Aliyu Galadima Muhammad – LP
Kano: Dawakin Kudu/Warawa Federal Constituency (House of Representatives)
- Rabiu Shuaibu – APC
- Lawan Garba Haruna – APM
- Abubakar Yahaya Muhammad – LP
Public Reactions
Nigerians have taken to social media to react to the candidate list. Kehinde Salami commented that the bye-elections would impact the APC's performance in the general elections, stating, "The success of the APC candidates across these bye-election positions will help the APC at the general election by 2027." Honourable Balo criticized the ADC and NDC for not fielding candidates, saying, "ADC and NDC are two unserious opposition parties. You are going for the general election in a few months, and you can't sponsor candidates in some of those constituencies so as to build the party there, even if the candidate doesn't get a chance to win, but the name and party office will be there." Sanuog1 congratulated the APC candidate in Nasarawa, while Pedro Eleniyan also knocked the ADC and NDC for their absence.
