As voters in Gombe, Kwami and Funakaye Local Government Areas prepare to elect a new representative in the House of Representatives, security concerns and fears of political violence have become central to preparations for Saturday’s bye-election.
The Gombe/Kwami/Funakaye Federal Constituency election follows the death of its former representative, Yaya Tongo, on June 12, 2026. Five political parties are contesting the vacant seat.
The Independent National Electoral Commission has identified Gombe and Funakaye Local Government Areas as high-risk areas because of concerns over the activities of political thugs popularly known as “Kalare boys”.
The commission’s Resident Electoral Commissioner in Gombe State, Umar-Mukhtar Gajiram, raised the concern during a meeting of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security on September 15.
Gajiram warned that the mobilisation or activities of political thugs could intimidate voters, disrupt polling, interfere with electoral officials and materials, and discourage citizens from participating in the election.
However, he stressed that the security assessment was not intended to stigmatise the affected communities but to allow authorities to identify vulnerabilities and deploy preventive measures.
Kwami Local Government Area presents a different security challenge. According to the REC, the area has recently experienced attacks attributed to herders, while its proximity to Borno State requires additional vigilance over possible spillover of insecurity.
The scale of the election is also significant. The constituency has 495,851 registered voters, 31 Registration Areas and 903 Polling Units spread across the three local government areas.
INEC has consequently called for adequate security for election officials, sensitive materials, polling units, collation centres and other designated locations.
“The safety of election officials is directly connected to the integrity of the election,” Gajiram said.
Five parties contest one seat
Five political parties have candidates in the election: the New Nigeria Peoples Party, Allied Peoples Party, All Progressives Congress, Allied Peoples Movement and Labour Party.
The candidates listed by INEC are Gaddafi Haruna of the NNPP, Yaya Alfa Mohammed of the APP, Kallamu Usman Maijama’a of the APC, Maigari Jungudo of the APM and Abdulkarim Abdulmujib Kwami of the LP.
Beyond party competition, local development concerns are also influencing discussions among voters.
One major issue is the federal road linking communities in the constituency to Nafada. Residents have complained about its condition, saying poor road infrastructure affects transportation, trade and access between communities.
Musa Danbaba, a resident, said the condition of the road had contributed to accidents and hardship, while Amina Doho said residents had repeatedly expected rehabilitation of the route.
For many residents, therefore, the election is not only about political parties but also about the quality of representation and the ability of the eventual winner to address longstanding infrastructure and security concerns.
INEC prepares for Saturday
INEC has concluded training for Supervisory Presiding Officers ahead of the election. The training covered electoral procedures, handling of materials, the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, the INEC Results Viewing Portal and election security.
The commission has urged registered voters to participate and vote for candidates of their choice, while calling on political actors and security personnel to conduct themselves professionally and peacefully.
The REC also warned security personnel against acting in favour of any political party or candidate, stressing that their responsibility was to protect the electoral process and citizens.
The election will take place as political parties and other groups are already positioning themselves for the 2027 general elections.
Gombe’s experience could therefore attract wider attention beyond the immediate constituency, particularly because concerns about political thuggery, misinformation and election-related violence are already part of national preparations for 2027.
For voters in Gombe, Kwami and Funakaye, however, the immediate concern is more direct: being able to reach polling units safely, cast their ballots without intimidation and have those votes accurately recorded.
With 903 polling units and nearly half a million registered voters, the conduct of Saturday’s election will depend not only on INEC but also on political parties, candidates, security agencies, election observers and voters.
As the commission has emphasised, the credibility of the exercise will be a shared responsibility.
