The All Progressives Congress (APC) has emerged victorious in the Dawakin Kudu/Warawa Federal Constituency bye-election in Kano State, which was held on Saturday, June 20, 2026.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared Rabiu Shuaibu, candidate of the APC, the winner of the election. He polled 35,356 votes to emerge victorious. The results were announced by Umar Sani, the INEC returning officer, late on Saturday evening.

So, what drove the low turnout in this election? The Allied Peoples Movement (APM) and Labour Party (LP) candidates, Lawal Haruna and Abubakar Muhammad, secured a mere 268 and 98 votes respectively.

The absence of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in the election may have contributed to the low turnout. The party's state chairperson, Usaini Mairiga, confirmed that the party opted out of the bye-election to preserve its political energy for the 2027 general elections.

And, it's worth noting that the NDC's decision was influenced by the reality that opposition parties rarely win bye-elections due to intimidation and manoeuvres by the ruling party. In fact, Mr Mairiga said this reality influenced their decision not to field a candidate for the poll.

But, the impact of the election results will be felt by the people of Kano State. The APC candidate, Rabiu Shuaibu, is expected to represent the people of Dawakin Kudu/Warawa Federal Constituency in the 9th National Assembly.

The APC candidate met all legal requirements to be returned elected, said Professor Umar Sani, the INEC returning officer.

The results of the election have left many wondering if the absence of the opposition parties will have any long-term effects on the political landscape of Kano State.

The APC candidate, Rabiu Shuaibu, will represent the people of Dawakin Kudu/Warawa Federal Constituency in the 9th National Assembly. He is expected to take office soon.

Election Results Breakdown

The results of the bye-election are as follows:

  • APC's Rabiu Shuaibu: 35,356 votes
  • APM's Lawal Haruna: 268 votes
  • LP's Abubakar Muhammad: 98 votes

The APC candidate met all legal requirements to be returned elected, said Professor Umar Sani, the INEC returning officer.

The absence of the NDC in the election was not unexpected, given the party's decision to opt out of the bye-election.

The people of Kano State are eagerly waiting to see how the new representative will serve them in the 9th National Assembly.

The APC has emerged victorious in the Dawakin Kudu/Warawa Federal Constituency bye-election in Kano State, but the long-term effects of the election results remain to be seen.