By  Umar Egbunu Muhammed

A former Secretary of the National Judiciary Council (NJC), barrister Danladi Halilu-EnvuluAnza of the All Progressives Congress APC, has been declared winner of the June 20, 2026 Nasarawa North Senatorial By-Election.

The conduct of the bye-election following the death of Senator Godiya Akwashiki, who represented Nasarawa North in the Nigerian Senate.

Professor Aminu Ali, the returning officer of the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC, announced the result at the college of Education in Akwanga local government area of Nasarawa state on Sunday. He describes the election as free, fair and credible.

He disclosed that Halilu-EnvuluAnza secured victory after scoring a total votes of 45,362 to defeat his closest rival, the former minister of information, Mr. Labaran Maku of the Labour Party LP, who pulled 12,931 votes.

Envwulanza polled 45,362 votes, defeating Labour Party’s Maku Labaran who scored 12,931 votes. Peoples Democratic Party’s Emmanuel David Ombugadu came third with 11,570 votes. ADC candidate Alaku Mohammed Steve got 1,496 votes, while NNPP’s John Wall Araneshiri polled 102 votes.

“Halilu Dangadi Envwulanza of APC, having satisfied the requirement of the law, is hereby declared a winner and is returned elected,” Prof. Ali stated.

The by-election was conducted on June 20, 2026, to fill the vacancy created by the death of two-term Senator Godiya Akwashiki in December 2025.

Envwulanza, who is an indigene of Nasarawa Eggon, contested the same seat in 2023 but lost to the late Akwashiki. Speaking after casting his ballot, he described voter turnout as “very encouraging” and said he had campaigned in all 35 wards of the district.

The exercise was, therefore, trailed by protests from the Labour Party. Led by Dr. Ben Ango, LP agents staged a walkout at the collation centre in Akwanga shortly after results from the three LGAs were compiled.

Although, Dr. Ango declined to speak with journalists, party officials at the venue faulted the collation process. LP candidate Maku Labaran had earlier complained of BVAS glitches and ballot irregularities in some polling units.

Governor Abdullahi Sule, who voted in Gudi, Akwanga LGA, lauded INEC for the smooth conduct of the poll, saying it gave the people of Nasarawa North an opportunity to “say thank you to the APC”.

Envwulanza will now proceed to the National Assembly to complete the remainder of Akwashiki’s tenure.

INEC described the collation as “orderly and transparent” despite minor technical hitches with BVAS machines that were quickly resolved.