By Peterside Rejoice, Abuja
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has congratulated the winners of Saturday’s by-elections held in 16 constituencies across 12 states of the federation, even as questions continue to trail the credibility of the exercise.
In a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, the President commended the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, for what he described as “a hitch-free and largely violence-free poll.”
According to the results announced by INEC, the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, won in 12 constituencies, the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, secured victories in two constituencies, while the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, won one constituency each.
President Tinubu particularly congratulated the new APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, describing the victory as a strong start under his leadership. He also commended governors and stakeholders of the ruling party for ensuring unity of purpose in the polls.
“Chairman Nentawe Yilwatda has shown leadership capacity and demonstrated what is achievable when popular candidates are fielded and with unity of purpose among party leaders,” the President said.
The President further assured Nigerians that his administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda was not a mere slogan but a pathway to a better, more secure and prosperous nation.
Meanwhile, the conduct of the by-elections has continued to attract mixed reactions from stakeholders. The Labour Party, in a statement issued on Sunday, faulted the process, alleging irregularities and voter suppression in some constituencies.
The party claimed that results declared by INEC in some states did not reflect the wishes of the electorate, warning that the experience of Saturday’s polls raises fresh fears ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Similarly, some civil society groups and political analysts observed that while the elections were relatively peaceful, issues of poor logistics, late arrival of materials in certain polling units, and lack of transparency in collation processes cast doubts on the credibility of the outcome.
Analysts further argued that the dominance of the APC in the by-elections may have been aided by the advantage of incumbency, weak enforcement of electoral laws, and the inability of opposition parties to fully mobilise.
Despite these concerns, President Tinubu urged all political actors to embrace the spirit of sportsmanship and fairness in both victory and defeat, stressing that such values remain essential to deepening Nigeria’s democracy.
