The candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Felix Bagudu, has been declared winner of the Chikun–Kajuru Federal Constituency bye-election in Kaduna State.
The Returning Officer, Prof. Abubakar Mohammed Jumare, who announced the result at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) collation centre in Kujama on Saturday night, said Bagudu polled 34,580 votes to defeat his closest rival from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Princess Esther Dawaki, who scored 11,491 votes.
This gave the APC candidate a wide margin of 23,089 votes in what was considered one of the most fiercely contested federal constituency races in the state.
Similarly, the ruling APC also swept the Kaduna State House of Assembly bye-elections in Zaria Kewaye and Basawa constituencies.
In Zaria Kewaye, the Returning Officer, Prof. Balarabe Abdullahi, declared Isa Haruna Ihamo of the APC as winner after he garnered 26,613 votes.
His closest opponent, the Social Democratic Party candidate, Nuhu Sada Abdullahi, polled 5,721 votes, while PDP’s Mamuda Abdullahi Wappa trailed with 5,331 votes.
At Basawa constituency, the Returning Officer, Prof. Nasiru Rabiu, announced that the APC candidate also emerged victorious with 10,926 votes against the PDP’s 5,499 votes.
With the three victories, analysts say the APC has further consolidated its dominance in Kaduna politics, especially in the Zaria zone, where the contests were widely regarded as a test of strength between the ruling party and the opposition.
