GOMBE, Nigeria — The All Progressives Congress (APC) has secured a landslide victory in the Gombe State local government elections, winning all 24 chairmanship seats and all 240 councillorship positions across the state’s 11 local government areas and 13 newly created Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs), the Gombe State Independent Electoral Commission (GOSIEC) has declared.
The commission announced the results on Saturday after the council polls, which were contested by six political parties in the chairmanship race: the APC, Youth Party (YP), National Rescue Movement (NRM), Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), African Action Congress (AAC), and Democratic Liberation Alliance (DLA). However, only the APC fielded candidates across all 24 councils, while the opposition parties participated in only a limited number of local government areas.
The election was conducted across 2,988 polling units in the state, with a total of 114 wards contested. GOSIEC Chairman Abdullahi Garba Talasse, who announced the results, described the successful conduct of elections in the newly created LCDAs as a milestone in the state’s democratic development. He noted that Gombe had expanded from 11 local government councils with 114 councillors to 24 councils and LCDAs with 240 councillors.
“The last cycle of elections in 2023 was conducted in 11 local governments. But His Excellency created an additional 13 Local Council Development Areas to bring development closer to the people,” Garba said. “We met, made our suggestions to him, and His Excellency graciously approved them. We also visited other states, including Lagos, where elections had already been conducted using LCDAs, and after studying their experiences, we returned and secured the necessary enabling law through the House of Assembly.”
The APC’s landslide victory came amid the conspicuous absence of major opposition parties from the polls. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the African Democratic Congress (ADC) did not field candidates in the election, with the PDP citing a lack of transparency in the process. According to the state’s electoral body, the limited participation of opposition parties explained why some recorded zero votes in several areas.
Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, who voted at Yahaya Umaru Polling Unit 010 in Jekadafari Ward, Gombe, described the exercise as peaceful, free, and fair. He expressed satisfaction with the large voter turnout and commended the enthusiasm displayed by the electorate throughout the exercise.
“We are determined to repeat our electoral successes and retain all elective positions under the APC platform. Our strength lies in our unity, commitment and the confidence the people have in our leadership,” the governor said earlier in the week.
The outcome gives the APC full control of local government administration in Gombe State, with its candidates expected to assume office across the 24 councils. The victory further consolidates the party’s hold on power in the state as it prepares for future electoral contests.
