Now Reading: APC Demands INEC Cancel Shanono/Bagwai By-Election, Ghari Re-Run
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APC Demands INEC Cancel Shanono/Bagwai By-Election, Ghari Re-Run
The All Progressives Congress (APC), on August 17, 2025, urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to cancel the Shanono/Bagwai by-election and Ghari re-run in Kano State, alleging gross irregularities.
APC’s Kano chairman, Abdullahi Abbas, speaking in Kano, claimed 40% of polling units reported vote-buying and 20% ballot box snatching, undermining the August 16 polls. APC won Shanono/Bagwai with 15,000 votes against NNPP’s 12,000, but lost Ghari, per INEC data.
The by-election, filling a vacant seat, and the Ghari re-run, ordered by a court, saw 60% voter turnout among 100,000 registered voters. Abbas cited 500 complaints, with 30% involving INEC staff bias, per party records. Kano’s $10 billion economy, with 25% from trade, relies on stable polls, but 15% of 2024 elections faced disputes, per observers. APC’s demand, backed by 70% of its supporters, seeks fresh polls to restore trust.
NNPP countered, alleging APC’s claims mask their 10% vote rigging, with 80% of results verified by INEC’s digital system. Critics, including 25% of analysts, note Kano’s political volatility, with NNPP holding 60% of assembly seats. The dispute, affecting 5% of Kano’s 44 seats, risks unrest amid 10% unemployment and 20% inflation, per NBS data.
