INEC has declared Halilu Danladi Envulanza of the APC the winner of the Nasarawa North senatorial by-election.
The race was hotly contested by APC, Labour Party, PDP, ADC, NDC and NNPP. The by-election filled the seat left vacant by the death of Senator Godiya Akwashiki. Akwashiki, 52, died on December 31, 2025, in an Indian hospital after a long illness. He had been first elected in 2019 and won a second term, the only Nasarawa North senator to do so. He represented the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
INEC said the APC candidate got the most votes — a boost for the party ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Results: Halilu Danladi Envulanza (APC) — 45,362; Labaran Maku (Labour Party) — 12,931; Emmanuel David Ombugadu (PDP) — 11,570; Alaku Mohammed Steve Ahmed (ADC) — 4,244; Duba Ishaya Dodo (NDC) — 1,496; John Paul Araneshri (NNPP) — 102.
Nigerians quickly reacted online. Politicols wrote: “Meanwhile, the ‘mighty’ NDC is still inside Countryman Dickson’s bedroom like a masquerade that will never emerge. Every single fringe party in Nigeria managed to print posters, train agents, deploy to polling units, and get their names on an INEC result sheet. But the ‘mighty’ masquerade is still locked inside a wardrobe, presumably hiding under the duvet in Dickson’s bedroom.”
PragmaticDB said: “APC is winning across the board and regions. Meanwhile, the opposition is only visible on social media and television, but almost absent on the ground where elections are won and lost. Political influence is ultimately measured at the ballot box, and recent results appear to be telling their own story. No pooling unit online.”
Ọláńrewájú Ìdòwú wrote: “Everywhere you turn, APC is running the show. To those mofos who said, “Who go vote for the APC”. Here we are.”
Beewhyade: “PDP remains the only real opposition in Nigeria.”
