The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies have agreed to work closely to ensure a smooth and peaceful by-election in Kano on Saturday.
INEC has fixed February 21, 2026, for the by-election to fill the vacant seats in the Kano State House of Assembly left by the deaths of Sarki Aliyu and Aminu Sa’ad Ungogo, who passed away on the same day.
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The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Kano, Abdu Zango, gave the assurance after a meeting of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security, held at the Police Headquarters Bompai.
Zango explained that the meeting was organised to assess the level of preparedness, especially security arrangements, ahead of the polls. He said security agencies had earlier been directed to develop a joint operational plan, which has now been submitted and reviewed.
The REC expressed confidence that the election would be conducted peacefully and urged eligible voters in the affected constituencies to come out and vote without fear.
Also speaking, the Kano State Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Bakori, said all necessary security arrangements had been concluded to ensure a hitch-free election.
Bakori noted that there was no known security threat ahead of the by-election but assured residents that adequate security personnel would be deployed across the affected areas to maintain law and order.
Kwankwasiyya Faults Tinubu’s Assent to Electoral Act Amendment
Meanwhile, the Kwankwasiyya Movement has criticised what it described as the “accelerated presidential assent” to the controversial amendment of the Electoral Act.
In a statement signed by its spokesperson, Habibu Sale Mohammed, the group said President Bola Tinubu’s approval of the amendment, despite widespread public protests and civil society opposition, raised serious concerns about the future of Nigeria’s democracy.
The movement argued that the clear public demand for stronger electoral safeguards was ignored, warning that the situation exposes the risks of unchecked one-party dominance.
Kwankwasiyya further claimed that the passage of the controversial Act, despite strong opposition to some of its provisions, highlights Tinubu’s overwhelming influence on the National Assembly.
The group also expressed concern over the defection of opposition lawmakers to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), saying such moves raise questions about political integrity and ideology.
According to the movement, when a democracy built on checks and balances gradually slides toward a one-party system, the consequences could be damaging.