The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has emerged victorious in the Shira Local Government Council chairmanship by-election held in Bauchi State on Saturday, following a boycott by the main opposition party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The Chairman of the Bauchi State Independent Electoral Commission (BASIEC), Ahmed Makama, announced that PDP candidate Babangida Abdullahi secured a landslide victory with 47,361 votes. His closest competitors, Shafiu Haladu of the Young Progressive Party (YPP) and Yakubu Ayuba of the Action Democratic Party (ADP), garnered only 273 and 141 votes respectively.
"Only three political parties, PDP, YPP, and ADP fielded candidates for this by-election," Makama stated while declaring the results in Bauchi on Saturday.
The by-election was necessitated following the removal of former chairman Abdullahi Beli and his deputy Usman Adamu by the Shira Legislative Council on March 3, 2025. Their dismissal came after allegations of gross misconduct, financial mismanagement, dereliction of duty, and abuse of office.
Makama explained that the commission acted in accordance with its constitutional mandate after receiving formal communication about the vacancies in both the chairman and deputy chairman positions.
"We received correspondence informing us that a vacancy exists in the offices of the chairman and deputy chairman in Shira LGC. As a commission, we are duty-bound to conduct an election to fill these vacancies," he said.
The APC's decision to boycott the election has raised questions about the electoral process in Bauchi State. Aliyu Jalla, the APC spokesman in Bauchi State, cited irregularities and lack of transparency as reasons for their non-participation.
"We refused to field a candidate for the by-election because the legal framework is flawed," Jalla stated. "There is no transparency. We will not waste our time on an orchestrated election."
The outcome further strengthens the PDP's position in Bauchi State's local government structure, while highlighting ongoing tensions between the state's major political parties over electoral processes and governance.
