June 20 Bye-Election: A Defining Moment for Nasarawa North Senatorial District
By God'spower Ede, Lafia.
Electorates in Nasarawa North Senatorial District will return to the ballot on Saturday, June 20, 2026, to elect a new senator to represent the zone in the upper chamber of the National Assembly.
The off-cycle bye-election was necessitated by the vacuum created following the death of Distinguished Senator Godiya Akwashiki on December 31, 2025, after a prolonged battle with ill health.
The passage of the two-term senator left the district without a voice in the Red Chamber at a critical time.
Accordingly, six political parties have been cleared by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to contest the high-stakes poll. They include the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, fielding Barr. Halilu Danladi Envu-luanza; the Labour Party, LP, with Mr. Labaran Maku; and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, presenting Dr. David Emmanuel Ombugadu.
Others are the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, with John Paul Araneshi; the Nigeria Democratic Party, NDC, led by Arch. Duba Ishaya Dodo; and the African Democratic Congress, ADC, represented by Mr. Alaku Mohammed Steve.
Notably absent from the ballot is the Social Democratic Party, SDP, the platform on which the late Senator Akwashiki won his seat.
The party's obvious absence could be a result of lingering internal leadership crises at a critical moment of political reckoning.
The contest will hold across 583 polling units spread over 35 electoral wards in three local government areas that make up the Northern Senatorial Zone.
According to INEC, 338,042 registered voters are eligible to participate.
The figure excludes those who recently registered in the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration, CVR, whose Permanent Voter Cards will be ready for the 2027 general elections.
Consequently, to safeguard credibility, INEC said the bye-election will be conducted under a strict accreditation process using the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, BVAS, while results will be uploaded in real time to the INEC Result Viewing portal, IREV.
The electoral umpire has unequivocally pledged to conduct a free, fair, and transparent process, backed by adequate security deployment.
Therefore, as residents of the zone troop out from 8am on Saturday, one thing is sure: only one candidate will emerge victorious.
And beyond the winner, the election is a test of democratic maturity for Nasarawa North.
Hence, the election should not be seen as a war, but a peaceful contest of ideas, strategy, and purpose among brothers.
Knowing that the onus of choosing the right leader lies squarely on the thumbprint of the voter, the people must troop out en masse to cast their ballots for the candidate they believe will best continue the legacy of quality representation Senator Akwashiki was known for across Nasarawa State and beyond.
Regardless of who wins on Saturday, it will be a victory for Nasarawa North and Nasarawa State at large.
A victory that restores the voice of the people of the zone in the Red Chamber, so that its interests are once again heard where national decisions are made.
God'spower Ede is a Senior News Editor with the Nasarawa Broadcasting Service NBS
