Election: Only APC, Labour Party Eligible — INEC

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that only the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Labour Party (LP) will participate in the June 20, 2026, by-election for the Zuru State Constituency seat in the Kebbi State House of Assembly.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Kebbi State, Abubakar Sarkin Pawa Dambo, disclosed this during a stakeholders’ meeting held on Wednesday, where he outlined the commission’s level of preparedness for the poll.

Dambo said political parties were given between May 22 and May 26 to conduct primaries and submit the names of their candidates in accordance with the provisions of the Electoral Act.

According to him, only the APC and LP complied with the requirements within the stipulated deadline, making them the only parties eligible to contest the by-election.

“Consequently, only the two parties will participate in the by-election,” the REC stated, directing both parties to submit the names of their polling agents on or before June 10.

INEC also released the timetable for the election, announcing that campaigns commenced on June 10 and will end on June 18 ahead of the poll scheduled for June 20.

The commission urged political actors to abide by the campaign guidelines and conduct their activities peacefully throughout the electoral process.

Providing further details obtained by this online newspaper, Dambo said the election would be conducted using the existing voters’ register and assured stakeholders that adequate arrangements had been put in place to ensure a credible and hitch-free exercise.

The by-election will be conducted across 10 wards in the constituency, including six wards located within Zuru metropolis, with 200 polling units designated for the exercise.

INEC disclosed that 109,292 registered voters are expected to participate in the election, while 822 ad hoc staff have been trained and deployed to handle voting and collation duties.

The electoral body appealed to voters, political parties and community leaders to cooperate with election officials to guarantee a peaceful and orderly poll.

The by-election became necessary following the death of the former representative of the constituency and Speaker of the Kebbi State House of Assembly, Usman Muhammad Zuru, earlier this year.

INEC reiterated its commitment to conducting a transparent, credible and violence-free election, urging all stakeholders to safeguard the integrity of the process.