APC Sweeps Gombe LG Polls, Wins All 24 Chairmanship, 240 Councillorship Seats

All Progressives Congress (APC)

APC Sweeps Gombe LG Polls, Wins All 24 Chairmanship, 240 Councillorship Seats

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has secured a landslide victory in the Gombe State local government elections, winning all 24 chairmanship positions and all 240 councillorship seats contested across the state’s 11 Local Government Areas and 13 newly created Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs). The ruling party’s clean sweep was announced on Saturday by the Gombe State Independent Electoral Commission (GOSIEC), marking a historic moment as the state conducted its first elections in the expanded 24-council structure.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has claimed a clean sweep in the Gombe State local government elections, winning all 24 chairmanship positions and the 240 councillorship seats contested across the state. Announcing the outcome on Saturday in Gombe, Chairman of the Gombe State Independent Electoral Commission (GOSIEC), Abdullahi Garba Talasse, declared that the ruling party emerged victorious in every local government area and Local Council Development Area (LCDA) where voting took place .

Talasse described the conduct of elections in the newly established LCDAs as a major step forward for democratic governance in the state. He noted that the creation of the additional councils expanded Gombe’s local government structure from 11 councils with 114 councillors to 24 councils and LCDAs with a total of 240 councillors. This expansion became possible after Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya approved the creation of 13 Local Council Development Areas to bring governance closer to the people and accelerate grassroots development.

According to the GOSIEC chairman, the electoral commission collaborated with the State House of Assembly to ensure the legal framework required to conduct elections in the new LCDAs was put in place. “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,” he explained .

“We did not struggle for the enabling law in vain. Today, we have successfully conducted elections across the 24 councils and LCDAs, which is a significant achievement for the state,” he said .

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The GOSIEC chairman linked the opposition parties’ poor performance to their limited participation in the elections. He explained that while multiple political parties participated in the exercise, only the APC fielded candidates in all 24 councils. The African Action Congress (AAC) fielded chairmanship candidates in only three local government areas, while the Democratic Leadership Alliance (DLA) contested six chairmanship positions. The New Nigeria People’s Movement (NRM), Youth Party (YP), and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) each fielded candidates in three chairmanship races.

For the councillorship elections, the African Congress contested in only eight wards, while the DLA, NRM, YP, and ZLP each sponsored candidates in 11 wards out of the 240 contested. “That explains why some parties recorded zero votes in several areas because they did not participate across all the councils and wards,” he stated.

The absence of major opposition parties, including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the African Democratic Congress (ADC), was notably conspicuous. The PDP cited lack of transparency in the electoral process as the reason for its boycott, while the ADC claimed it was not notified by GOSIEC to participate in the election. Efforts to obtain reactions from the PDP were unsuccessful as the party chairman neither answered telephone calls nor responded to text messages at the time of filing reports.

The elections were conducted across 114 wards and 2,988 polling units in the state, with Governor Inuwa Yahaya casting his vote at the Yahaya Umaru Polling Unit in Gombe local government area. The governor praised the peaceful and smooth conduct of the polls, noting that the entire exercise was free from major security issues. He described the peaceful atmosphere as proof of the maturity of voters and a sign of the dedication shown by everyone involved in upholding democratic traditions.

Announcing the outcome, the GOSIEC chairman declared that from the results before the commission, APC has won all the 24 chairmanship seats and all the 240 councillorship positions. He commended political parties, election observers, civil society organisations, security agencies, the media, and other stakeholders for their roles in ensuring a peaceful electoral process.

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He also expressed appreciation to party leaders, government officials, non-governmental organisations, and other visitors from different parts of the country who monitored the exercise, describing their contributions as vital to the successful conduct of the polls. “In conclusion, I thank His Excellency for providing us with the enabling environment. We also appreciate all political parties for their support, as well as the observers, NGOs, and members of the media who have been with us throughout this exercise. May God bless you all, and I wish everyone a safe journey back,” Garba added .

The Gombe State local government elections were hailed as a significant milestone in the state’s democratic evolution. The expansion of the local government structure from 11 to 24 councils represents one of the most ambitious administrative reforms undertaken by the Yahaya administration since assuming office. Governor Yahaya had consistently maintained that the creation of additional LCDAs was necessary to bring government services closer to rural communities and ensure more equitable distribution of resources across the state.

Political analysts have noted that the APC’s clean sweep in the Gombe LG polls reflects the party’s deep-rooted popularity in the state, which has been a stronghold of the ruling party since the 2019 general elections. The party has maintained a firm grip on the state’s political landscape, winning all major elective positions in previous elections. The absence of serious opposition participation further consolidated the APC’s dominance, leaving little room for competitive contestation.

The Gombe State Governor, Inuwa Yahaya, had earlier expressed confidence in the electoral process and urged residents to come out en masse to exercise their civic rights. He emphasized the importance of grassroots participation in strengthening democracy and ensuring that local government councils remain accountable to the people. The governor also assured that his administration would continue to support democratic institutions and processes to deepen governance at all levels.

Voter turnout across the state was reported to be moderate, with many residents expressing satisfaction with the peaceful conduct of the elections. Security was adequately provided across all polling units, with no major incidents of violence or electoral malpractice reported. The presence of security personnel, including the police and civil defence corps, helped maintain order and ensure that voters cast their ballots without intimidation or harassment.

The GOSIEC has been commended for its professionalism and commitment to conducting credible elections despite the challenges posed by the expansion of councils. The commission was praised for ensuring that all necessary logistics, including the deployment of electoral materials and personnel, were effectively managed to ensure a smooth voting process.

Civil society organisations and election observers have called for continued reforms to strengthen the electoral process in Gombe State, including enhancing the participation of opposition parties and ensuring greater transparency in future elections. They also urged political parties to engage constructively with the electoral commission to address any concerns and improve the overall quality of the electoral process.

The successful conduct of the Gombe State local government elections reinforces the importance of local government autonomy and grassroots democracy in Nigeria’s governance framework. As the newly elected chairmen and councillors prepare to assume office, expectations are high that they will deliver tangible development and improved services to their communities.