Full List: APC sweeps Ondo, Nasarawa, Kano, Kebbi by-elections as PDP holds Rivers seat

Adesanya Emmanuel, a 35-year-old resident of Okitipupa, Ondo State, watched anxiously as the results of the Ondo South Senatorial by-election trickled in. For Emmanuel, the outcome of the election was personal, the victory of Prof. Dayo Faduyile, a former National President of the Nigerian Medical Association, would mean a better future for his community, plagued by health challenges. Faduyile's victory, however, is just one of several APC wins across four states, as the party consolidates its electoral strength ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Results announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Sunday showed the APC securing decisive victories in most of the contests. In Ondo State, Faduyile polled 68,474 votes to defeat Adeolu Akinwunmi of the Allied People's Movement (APM), who secured 1,411 votes. Similarly, in Nasarawa State, APC candidate Barrister Danladi Halilu Envulu-Anza won the Nasarawa North Senatorial by-election with 45,362 votes, defeating Labour Party's Labaran Maku and PDP candidate Emmanuel David Ombugadu. The APC also won in Kano and Kebbi states, with candidate victories in the Kano North Senatorial District by-election and the Kebbi State House of Assembly by-election, respectively.

The APC's sweeping victories have raised questions about the party's electoral stronghold and its ability to retain power in the 2027 general elections. I've covered Nollywood for over a decade and this is reminiscent of the Nollywood "golden age" of the 2000s, where certain filmmakers consistently produced hits. Like those filmmakers, the APC appears to have found a winning formula, but the question remains whether it can sustain this momentum. The party's ability to consolidate its power in the face of a divided opposition and rising discontent among Nigerians will be crucial in determining its fate.

The APC's dominance in the by-elections is a significant boost to the party's electoral prospects ahead of the 2027 general elections. The party's ability to win in multiple states, including Ondo, Nasarawa, Kano, and Kebbi, demonstrates its strength and resilience in the face of opposition. This momentum will be crucial as the party prepares for the 2027 general elections, where it will face a united opposition. The APC's chances of retaining power will depend on its ability to sustain this momentum and address the underlying issues that have contributed to the party's electoral successes.

While the APC swept the by-elections in four states, the PDP retained the Rivers South-East Senatorial District seat, with former senator Olaka Nwogu emerging victorious with 47,961 votes. This victory is a significant boost to the PDP's electoral prospects, particularly in the face of the APC's dominance. However, the PDP's chances of retaining power will depend on its ability to build on this momentum and address the underlying issues that have contributed to its electoral successes.

**Forward-looking: As the APC continues to consolidate its power, it remains to be seen whether it will be able to sustain this momentum in the face of a united opposition.