Zamfara: Matawalle’s Former Adviser Defeats Governor Dauda Lawal’s PDP in Resounding Bye-Election Victory

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared Kamilu Sa’idu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the Kaura-Namoda South State Constituency bye-election, delivering a crushing blow to Governor Dauda Lawal’s Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The Returning Officer, Lawal Sa’adu of the Federal University Gusau, announced that Sa’idu polled 1,181 votes in the supplementary election, defeating PDP’s Muhammad Lawal Kurya, who scored 194 votes.

Across the constituency, the APC secured 8,182 votes, while the PDP managed 5,544.

“Kamilu Sa’idu of the APC, having scored the highest number of votes, is hereby declared the winner and returned elected,” Sa’adu stated.

The supplementary election, conducted in Sakajiki (two polling units) and Kyambarawa (three polling units), followed an inconclusive by-election last Saturday at the Kasuwar Daji collation center.

The rerun was necessitated as the initial margin of 1,662 votes between the leading candidates was less than the 3,265 Permanent Voter Cards collected in the affected polling units.

Sa’idu, a former Special Adviser to ex-Governor Bello Matawalle, will now represent Kaura-Namoda South in the Zamfara State House of Assembly.

His victory is seen as a direct rebuke of Governor Lawal’s administration, which has been plagued by allegations of incompetence and escalating insecurity since 2023.

Despite Lawal’s claims of a guaranteed PDP victory, the results exposed his administration’s waning influence.

Reports indicate that Lawal deployed state-backed Zamfara Vigilante operatives to polling units, defying federal warnings against such tactics.

These efforts to intimidate voters and manipulate the process were resoundingly rejected by the electorate, who delivered a decisive mandate to the APC.

Lawal’s last-ditch campaign efforts, including two weeks of intense mobilization and accusations against the APC and his predecessors, fell flat.

The bye-election marks a historic low for Lawal, the first Zamfara governor to lose a bye-election, with the PDP securing only six wards.

APC Group Slams Defence Minister Badaru Over Bye-Election Loss, Demands Resignation

The Concerned Jigawa APC Forum (CJAF) has issued a scathing rebuke of the Minister of Defence, Alhaji Muhammad Badaru Abubakar, branding his performance in the recent Garki-Babura Federal Constituency bye-election as a “catastrophic political failure” and a threat to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid.

In a strongly worded press statement, the group demanded Badaru’s immediate resignation, citing his inability to secure votes for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in his home polling unit and ward as evidence of his dwindling political influence.

The bye-election, held on August 17, 2025, saw the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) deliver a stunning defeat to the APC at Badaru’s polling unit (001) in Babura Kofar Arewa Primary School, Jigawa State, with the PDP securing 308 votes to the APC’s 112.

The loss extended to Badaru’s ward, where the PDP also dominated at the polling unit of his ally, Minister of State for Education, Mrs. Suwaiba Ahmad, winning 184 votes to the APC’s 22.

The CJAF highlighted reports of Badaru’s supposed allies celebrating the PDP’s victories, raising concerns about disloyalty within his camp and suggesting active sabotage against the APC.

“After eight years as Jigawa’s governor and two years as a federal minister, Badaru’s inability to deliver for the APC in his home base exposes him as a political liability,” said Alhaji Usman Tanko, President of the CJAF.

“His allies’ jubilation over PDP wins confirms he is no longer on the ground in Jigawa, and his continued presence in the cabinet risks dragging President Tinubu’s administration into disrepute.”

Despite the APC’s overall victory in the constituency, with candidate Mukhtar Rabi’u Garki securing 38,449 votes against the PDP’s 13,519, the CJAF credited Governor Umar Namadi’s effective governance and grassroots support for salvaging the win.

The group’s statement warned that Badaru’s failure in a key APC stronghold like Jigawa signals a dangerous erosion of support in the North West, a critical region for the party’s national ambitions.

The CJAF passed a vote of no confidence in Badaru, declaring him unfit to represent the APC or hold high office.

“Badaru’s collapse in a stronghold like Jigawa signals a dangerous erosion of APC support in the North West, a critical region for the party’s national ambitions,” Tanko added.

“His continued presence in the cabinet risks dragging the Tinubu administration into further disrepute, as his allies’ flirtations with the PDP threaten to fracture party unity.

“We demand that Badaru resign immediately as Minister of Defence. His abysmal track record and inability to add value to the APC in Jigawa, the North West, or nationally make his position untenable.

“While he may maintain a personal friendship with Mr. President, Nigeria’s interests supersede any individual’s ambitions. The country is bigger than Badaru, and it is time for him to step aside and allow fresh, capable leadership to bolster the APC’s prospects.

“His resignation is not just a necessity for Jigawa but a critical step to safeguard the party’s chances in 2027.

“We commend Governor Namadi for his steadfast leadership and urge INEC to maintain the integrity of the electoral process, as demonstrated in the peaceful and transparent conduct of the bye-election.

“The people of Jigawa have spoken, and their rejection of Badaru’s influence is a clarion call for accountability. The APC must act decisively to restore trust and secure its future, both in Jigawa and across Nigeria.”

Bye-Election: Stop Gov Lawal, Aides’ Assault on Zamfara’s Democracy – Group Tells INEC, Security Operatives

The Coalition of Zamfara Patriots (CZP) has accused Governor Dauda Lawal of orchestrating a “tyrannical assault” on democracy during the recent Kaura-Namoda South Constituency bye-election, which was declared inconclusive by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

In a press statement, the group condemned Lawal’s alleged use of state-backed vigilantes and hired thugs to intimidate voters, describing his actions as a desperate bid to cling to power amid a failing tenure.

The bye-election, held on August 16, 2025, followed the death of Hon. Aminu Ibrahim Kasuwar Daji, with the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Hon. Kamilu Sa’idu Kasuwar Daji, securing 7,001 votes against the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) 5,339.

The CZP hailed the result as a “resounding referendum” on Lawal’s leadership, which they branded as a “catastrophic tenure” marked by corruption, vindictive politics, and under-development.

The election was declared inconclusive due to irregularities in five polling units in Sakajiki and Kyambarawa wards, with a supplementary poll scheduled for August 21.

According to the CZP, Lawal’s administration resorted to thuggery and voter intimidation to manipulate the outcome, with reports circulating on social platforms about state-backed vigilantes terrorizing voters in the affected wards.

“This is not leadership—it is gangsterism,” the group declared in a statement signed by Comrade Yusuf Dayda accusing Lawal of treating Zamfara as his “personal fiefdom” through actions like the unlawful suspension of state assembly members and interference with the judiciary.

The coalition demanded that INEC declare the APC candidate the winner, arguing that the 1,662-vote margin clearly reflects the will of the people.

They warned against any attempts to use the supplementary election to distort the outcome, urging the electoral body to resist pressure from Lawal’s camp.

“The people of Kaura-Namoda South have rejected his oppressive rule, and he must accept defeat with dignity,” the statement read.

The CZP also called on security agencies, civil society, and the international community to closely monitor the August 21 supplementary election to ensure transparency.

They cautioned that any further attempts to undermine the electorate’s will could plunge Zamfara into chaos, emphasizing that the state’s citizens would resist any manipulation “with resolute resistance.”