Adamawa, Kebbi Governorship Elections: How things stand

Between February and March, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) concluded one presidential, 26 governorship, 104 senatorial, 330 federal and 935 state constituency elections, but there are dozens of contests that are yet to be settled.

Due to technicalities that delayed the conclusion of the elections, INEC fixed April 15 for supplementary elections for two governorship contests in Adamawa and Kebbi.

As voters march to the polls in the affected places, what's the status of the elections so far?

Adamawa State

PDP's Ahmadu Fintiri (left) is still battling to retain his seat as Adamawa State governor, with the APC's Senator Aishatu 'Binani' Dahiru (right) chasing closely behind him Pulse Nigeria

The Adamawa governorship election has always attracted special attention because the contest could open the door to a special history in Nigerian politics.

No woman has ever been elected governor and taken office in Nigeria, but the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Aishatu 'Binani' Dahiru, is knocking on the door.

After the first round of voting on March 18, the lawmaker scored 390,275 votes, trailing behind the incumbent governor, Ahmadu Fintiri of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who ended up with 421,524 votes.

INEC declared the election inconclusive because the margin of Fintiri's lead (31,249 votes) over Binani is lower than the number of registered voters with permanent voter's cards (PVC) in the areas where elections were cancelled on March 18.

This is a condition that typically forces a supplementary election, which is why the voters with PVCs get the chance to determine the winner on April 15.

According to INEC's data, the election will take place in 69 polling units across 20 local government areas of the state.

36,935 voters are in the position to either make history by almost unanimously swinging Binani's way or keep Fintiri in office.

Kebbi

APC's Nasir Idris (left) and PDP's Aminu Bande (right) are still battling for the governor's seat in Kebbi State Pulse Nigeria

The contest in Kebbi may not have the same potential history-making attention, but it's not lacking in its own political drama.

The March 18 election was marred by violence, destruction of election materials, disruption of electoral proceedings and over-voting, according to INEC's returning officer in the state, Professor Yusuf Sa'idu.

When INEC declared the election inconclusive, the APC's Nasir Idris finished with 388,258 votes ahead of the PDP's Aminu Bande with 342,980 votes.

The current margin of 45,278 votes separating the two is lower than the number of eligible voters in polling units where elections were cancelled on March 18.

To determine the next governor of the state, 94,209 registered voters with PVCs will vote in 142 polling units across 20 LGAs.

Where else are supplementary elections happening?

Other supplementary elections on April 15 will also determine the winners in the battle for five senatorial seats, 30 House of Representatives seats and 58 State House of Assembly seats.

The senatorial districts are Kebbi North (13,243 voters in 23 polling units), Sokoto East (87,138 voters in 169 polling units), Sokoto North (115,266 voters in 185 polling units), Sokoto South (85,022 voters in 156 polling units) and Zamfara Central (47,277 voters in 83 polling units).

The 30 House of Representatives elections will take place across constituencies in Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bayelsa, Ebonyi, Edo, Imo, Jigawa, Kano, Kebbi, Kogi, Oyo, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba and Zamfara.

There are House of Representatives seats still up for grabs in 15 states Pulse Nigeria

The 58 State House of Assembly elections will take place across constituencies in Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Ebonyi, Edo, Ekiti, Enugu, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Niger, Ogun, Taraba and Yobe.