Voting is underway in the Gombe/Kwami/Funakaye Federal Constituency bye-election on Saturday, September 19, 2026, as residents of Gombe, Kwami and Funakaye Local Government Areas cast their ballots to fill the vacant seat in the House of Representatives.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) scheduled the poll after the death of the previous representative, Hon. Yaya Bauchi Tongo, in June 2026. The House of Representatives later declared the seat vacant. The constituency covers three local government areas with 903 polling units across 31 registration areas and approximately 495,851 registered voters.
Electoral officials arrived at polling centres from early morning. Accreditation and voting began shortly afterwards. As of the time of this report, there were no widespread reports of late arrival of officials or election materials. Voting is scheduled to run from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in line with INEC guidelines for the exercise.
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However, early observations indicated low voter turnout in parts of Gombe Local Government Area, particularly around Gombe and Pantami areas, as of mid-morning. Similar low early participation has been noted by other observers in the constituency. Security agencies, including the police in collaboration with the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES), deployed personnel to polling units, collation centres and strategic locations. Movement restrictions were also in place in the affected LGAs to support a peaceful process.
Several political parties fielded candidates for the seat. Reports of the final list of cleared candidates have included representatives from parties such as the All Progressives Congress (APC), Allied Peoples Party (APP), Allied Peoples Movement (APM), and others (exact names and parties should be verified against the latest official INEC list for accuracy).
The contest is being watched as a test of organisational strength in the three LGAs.
The bye-election forms part of a broader set of legislative polls INEC is conducting on the same day in other states. Stakeholders have been urged to adhere to electoral laws, and the commission has pledged a level playing field.
This is a developing story. Updates on turnout, any incidents, and eventual results will follow as more information becomes available from polling units and official channels. Residents are encouraged to exercise their civic right peacefully and report any concerns through appropriate channels.
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