The Bauchi State Independent Electoral Commission (BASIEC) has declared Babangida Abdullahi of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) winner of the Shira Local Government Council chairmanship by-election.

Its chairman, Ahmed Makama, who declared the result on Saturday in Bauchi, said the PDP candidate polled 47,361 votes to defeat his closest opponent, Shafiu Haladu of the Young Progressive Party (YPP), who polled 273 votes.

Yakubu Ayuba of the Action Democratic Party (ADP) polled 141 votes.

He said only three political parties, PDP, YPP, and ADP, fielded candidates for the by-election held on May 24, 2025.

Mr Makama said the commission acted in accordance with legal obligations, having received official correspondence declaring vacancies in the offices of the chairman and his deputy.

“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 by-election followed the March 3, 2025, removal of the former chairman, Abdullahi Beli, and his deputy, Usman Adamu, by the Shira Legislative Council over alleged gross misconduct, financial mismanagement, dereliction of duty, and abuse of office.

However, the opposition, the All Progressives Congress (APC), boycotted the election.

APC spokesman Aliyu Jalla earlier alleged a lack of transparency in the election process.

“We refused to field a candidate for the by-election because the legal framework is flawed.

“There is no transparency. We will not waste our time on an orchestrated election,” Mr Jalla said. 

(NAN)