The All Progressives Congress has recorded a sweeping victory in the latest local government elections in Niger State, taking full control of all 25 chairmanship positions contested in the exercise. The outcome further cements the party’s dominance in the state’s grassroots political structure.
Beyond the chairmanship race, the ruling party also secured an overwhelming majority of councillorship seats, winning 271 out of 274 available positions. That result leaves only a tiny opening for opposition presence and underscores the scale of the APC’s performance in the election.
The Niger State Independent Electoral Commission confirmed the outcome after concluding collation and verification across the various council areas. In an official statement signed by Barrister Mohammed Liman, the commission said the final review supported the declaration of APC candidates as winners in every chairmanship contest.
Among those announced as elected chairmen were Dr. Mustapha M. Jibrin for Chanchaga, Usman Manko Mohammad for Bida, and Sayuti Ibrahim Halilu for Agaie, alongside other successful candidates across the state. Their emergence reflects the party’s coordinated strength at the local level and its ability to convert that structure into electoral success.
While the APC dominated almost completely, the Peoples Democratic Party managed to pick up only two councillorship seats, one each in Tafa and Rafi local government areas. In addition, one ward result was left unresolved and declared inconclusive, meaning it will still require further review before a final decision is reached. According to Gossip News Now, the election results have significantly widened the ruling party’s advantage in Niger State’s local political landscape.
The electoral commission said the exercise was carried out in line with laid-down guidelines and regulations. Liman explained that the reports submitted by returning officers did not indicate any major disruption during the voting and result compilation stages, suggesting that the process was largely peaceful.
NSIEC also disclosed that the next step will involve issuing Certificates of Return to the newly elected chairmen and councillors. The commission said relevant stakeholders would be informed of the date for that process in due course.
It also used the opportunity to appreciate the roles played by security agencies, election observers, political parties, journalists, and voters, praising their conduct and cooperation throughout the exercise.
Commentary and Analysis
The scale of the APC’s victory suggests more than a routine election win; it points to a near-total consolidation of political influence at the grassroots level in Niger State. Winning every chairmanship seat and almost all councillorship positions gives the party strong control over local governance and political organization heading into future contests.
At the same time, such overwhelming outcomes are likely to renew debate about the strength of opposition parties in local elections and the broader competitiveness of state-level democratic processes. With the PDP managing only two councillorship seats and one result still unsettled, the election highlights just how limited the opposition’s foothold currently appears to be in the state.
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