Reported by Ariajegbe Sylvia Esezobor
The Allied Peoples Movement has stepped up its campaign for the September 19 Bauchi State House of Assembly bye-election, opening a fresh phase of grassroots mobilisation in Sakwa Constituency as political parties intensify efforts to win the vacant seat.
The APM campaign was formally launched in Sakuwa town in Zaki Local Government Area on Monday, drawing party leaders, supporters and residents from across the constituency. The rally comes five days before voters are scheduled to choose a new representative for the constituency.
Bauchi State Governor Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed addressed the gathering and urged voters to support the APM candidate, Yakubu Adamu. According to accounts of the rally, Mohammed framed the election around continuity, arguing that maintaining political alignment with his administration would help sustain infrastructure and community development programmes across the state.
The governor also urged voters to assess government policies by their effect on livelihoods and local communities rather than by political sentiment alone. His appeal places the bye-election within the broader political contest over the performance and direction of the state government.
Hamza Koshe Akuyam, director-general of the APM campaign organisation, called on party members to remain united and intensify mobilisation ahead of election day. He urged supporters to take the party's message to wards and polling units, reflecting the importance of turnout and organisation in a constituency-level election.
The party's candidate, Hon. Yakubu Adamu, asked voters to give him their mandate and pledged effective representation. He said his focus would be on the needs and aspirations of the constituency, although the campaign launch did not provide a detailed policy platform beyond that commitment.
After the Sakuwa rally, the APM campaign team moved to Disina in Shira Local Government Area for another mobilisation event. The second rally is connected to the wider political activity surrounding the September 19 legislative bye-elections, which will fill two vacant seats in the Bauchi State House of Assembly.
The Independent National Electoral Commission has scheduled the two elections for Saturday, September 19, 2026. The seats are Sakwa State Constituency in Zaki Local Government Area and Disina State Constituency in Shira Local Government Area. INEC's election calendar confirms the September 19 date.
The Sakwa seat became vacant following the death of its former occupant, Wanzam Zaki, who died on June 21, 2026. The Disina vacancy arose after the resignation of the constituency's representative, Saleh Hodi, who left the Assembly to pursue the chairmanship election in Shira Local Government Area.
The vacancies have created a short but politically significant contest in Bauchi, where the APM has been expanding its organisational presence. The party's growing activity in the state has also coincided with preparations for the 2027 general elections.
In August, the APM held a national elective convention in Bauchi, where Yusuf Mamman Dantalle was returned as national chairman and a new 27-member National Working Committee was elected. Governor Mohammed was also formally inaugurated as the party's national leader. The developments have given Bauchi an important role in the party's national organisation.
The APM's emergence as a major political vehicle in Bauchi has also been reinforced by the movement of political actors toward the party. In early September, a group of Peoples Democratic Party leaders and stakeholders in the state publicly declared support for the APM and said they intended to formally join it. Their stated intention was to mobilise for APM candidates ahead of the 2027 elections. That development is separate from the bye-election itself, but it illustrates the broader political realignment taking place in the state.
The APM has previously described its mission as promoting good governance, citizen empowerment and sustainable development. In Bauchi, its campaign message has increasingly centred on continuity and the record of the state administration. For the bye-election, however, the immediate question for voters is more specific: who will represent the Sakwa constituency in the state legislature for the remainder of the current Assembly term?
The campaign period is proceeding under INEC's timetable, which set September 9 to September 17 as the campaign window for the bye-elections. The September 19 polling date therefore leaves parties only a short period after the APM's flag-off to complete their final rounds of voter mobilisation.
Sakwa constituency covers five wards and 100 polling units, according to election timetable information reported after INEC announced the poll. The Disina constituency also has five wards, with 95 polling units. The figures underline the logistical importance of ward-level organisation and voter mobilisation in the two contests.
Electoral authorities have also stressed the need for political parties and their supporters to observe the rules governing the process. When INEC announced the bye-election date, the commission urged parties to follow the published timetable and conduct peaceful campaigns. Security agencies were expected to provide protection for voters, election officials and materials.
The APM rally did not alter the electoral timetable, and the party's campaign statements remain political appeals rather than guarantees of electoral victory. Other parties and candidates contesting the seat will have their own opportunity to campaign and present their positions to voters before the deadline.
For Governor Mohammed, the Sakwa contest offers an opportunity to demonstrate the strength of the political structure he now leads within the APM. For the party, success would provide another indication of its ability to translate its growing organisation in Bauchi into electoral support at the grassroots.
For voters, the immediate concern is the choice of a lawmaker who will represent local interests in the Bauchi State House of Assembly. The campaign is therefore likely to remain focused on representation, development, government performance and the competing political messages of the parties.
With voting set for September 19, the APM has now moved from internal preparation to open campaigning in Sakwa. Its leaders are asking voters to back continuity, while its candidate is promising effective representation. The final result, however, will be determined by voters at the polling units across the constituency when the ballots are cast.
The coming days will test whether the party can turn its public rallies into strong voter turnout and whether its message of continuity resonates with residents.
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