2021 Nigerian by-elections

On December 2, 2019, Magama/Rijau Representative Ja’afaru Iliyasu (APC) died from an unknown illness.[1] In March 2020, Kasimu Danjuma of the APC won the ensuing by-election over the PDP's Emmanuel Alamu and the APGA's Shehu Saleh Rijau, 47%-34%-18%;[2] however, on September 21, the Election Petitions Tribunal disqualified Danjuma for forged documentation and annulled the election.[3] In November 2020, the decision was upheld by a Court of Appeal which ordered INEC to hold a rerun election. Later that month, the commission announced that the APC would not be allowed to nominate a new nominee as only eligible nominees from the annulled election would be allowed to run, it also set the date for the by-election for February 6.[4] Shehu Saleh Rijau, the APGA nominee, defeated the PDP's Emmanuel Alamu by 1% and less than 500 votes.[5] The election had 29.33% turnout, slightly less than the annulled election's 31.94% turnout, and was conducted successfully according to INEC officials.

On February 9, 2021, Aba North/Aba South Representative Ossy Prestige (APGA) died from an undisclosed illness.[6] Later in February, INEC set the date for the by-election for March 27 with party primaries taking place between March 4 and March 10.[7] Chimaobi Ebisike, the PDP nominee, defeated the APC's Mascot Uzor Kalu by 42% and over 6,600 votes.[8] The election was marred by both extremely low turnout, at 3.29%, and violence with a bombing at the Umuola Hall polling station and the kidnapping of an APC collation officer.[9][10]

On March 4, 2021, Gwaram Representative Yuguda Hassan-Kila (APC) died from an undisclosed illness.[11] In May, INEC set the date for the by-election for June 19 with party primaries taking place between May 18 and May 24.[12] Yusuf Galami, the APC nominee, defeated the PDP's Kamilu Inuwa by over 47% and nearly 20,000 votes.[13] The election had 31.59% turnout and was conducted peacefully according to participating voters and INEC officials.[14]

On April 6, 2021, Lere Representative Suleiman Aliyu (APC) died from an undisclosed illness.[15] In July, INEC set the date for the by-election for August 14 with party primaries taking place between July 13 and July 24.[16][17] Ahmed Munir, the APC nominee, defeated the PDP's Ibrahim Usman by 35% and over 18,000 votes.[18] The election had 22.85% turnout and was conducted peacefully according to journalists.

On April 6, 2021, the member for Isoko North, Tim Owhefere (PDP) died from an undisclosed illness.[19] In March, INEC set the date for the by-election for April 10 with party primaries taking place between March 11 and March 20.[20] Jude Ogbimi, the PDP nominee, defeated runner-up Emmanuel Tabuko (APC) by over 83% and nearly 27,000 votes.[21] The election had 25.51% turnout and was conducted peacefully according to participating candidates.

On June 27, 2021, the member for Isoko South I, Kenneth Ogba (PDP) died from an unspecified heart-related disease.[22] In August, INEC set the date for the by-election for September 11 with party primaries taking place between August 4 and August 31. Ovuakpoye Evivie, the PDP nominee, defeated runners-up Ogaga Ifowodo (APC) and Michael Emumena Paul (SDP) by nearly 60% and over 5,500 votes. The election had 16.94% turnout and was successfully used as a test run for INEC's new Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) device with candidates and observers praising INEC's conduct.[23][24][25] However, the election's successful conduct was overshadowed by the murder of a local vigilante by gunmen at Polling Unit 5 of Irri Ward 10 and the nonfatal shooting of another person in Oleh.[26][25] After the election, INEC disclosed that five BVAS devices had been stolen during the election and implored Evivie to help find and return them.[27]

On January 31, 2021, member for Ekiti East I Juwa Adegbuyi (APC) died from an undisclosed illness.[28] In February, INEC set the date for the by-election for March 20 with party primaries taking place between February 26 and March 3.[29][30] However, on the by-election date, multiple reports of violence and ballot snatching including the murder of 3 people at a polling station in Omuo where Senator Abiodun Olujimi was observing voting led INEC to suspend the by-election indefinitely.[31][32]

On January 18, 2021, member for Kafin Hausa, Adamu Babban Bare (APC), died from an undisclosed illness suspected to be cancer.[33] Later in January, INEC set the date for the by-election for March 6 with party primaries taking place between February 2 and February 8.[34] APC nominee and son of Adamu Babban Bare, Muhammad Adamu, defeated the PDP's Garba Tambale by 26% and over 6,300 votes.[35] The election had 39.86% turnout and was conducted smoothly according to lawmakers and INEC officials.[36]

On April 29, 2021, the seat of Sabon Gari was declared vacant after member Aminu Abdullahi Shagali (APC) did not attend legislative meetings for a prolonged period of time and did not submit a requested letter of apology to the House of Assembly.[37] In May, INEC set the date for the by-election for June 19 with party primaries taking place between May 18 and May 24.[38] The PDP nominee, Usman Baba, flipped the seat by defeating the APC's Musa Musa by 10% and over 1700 votes.[39] The election was conducted peacefully according to journalists but was marred by low turnout, at 13.43%.[40]