The recent local government elections in Kebbi State have favored the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) due to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) boycotting the polls. The PDP had initially withdrawn, citing concerns about the fairness of the electoral process and the neutrality of the Kebbi State Independent Electoral Commission (KESIEC).
As a result, the APC won all 21 chairmanship seats and 225 councilorship positions uncontested. Political observers suggest that the PDP, despite its strong presence in the state with multiple elected representatives, missed an opportunity to consolidate its influence at the grassroots level, particularly with the new financial autonomy for local governments.
The PDP criticized the election, claiming low voter turnout and alleging that the APC arranged voters to support their candidates. In response, the APC described the PDP’s withdrawal as a tactic to avoid an inevitable defeat, praising the election’s fairness and the strong turnout despite adverse weather conditions. Governor Nasir Idris highlighted his administration’s achievements, noting that the support shown in the elections reflected the people’s satisfaction with the government’s performance.
This development has bolstered the APC’s confidence ahead of future elections, while the PDP continues to criticize the ruling party’s governance.
