By Ben Ngwakwe, Gombe
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has released the final list of candidates cleared to contest the forthcoming House of Representatives bye-election for the Gombe/Kwami/Funakaye Federal Constituency of Gombe State
The final list was contained in a statement signed by Rose Oriaran-Anthony, Secretary to the Commission, and obtained in Gombe on Thursday
According to the list, Yaya Alfa Muhammad is the candidate of the Allied Peoples Party, APP; Kallamu Usman Maijama’a is representing the All Progressives Congress, APC; Gaddafi Haruna is the candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement, APM, while Abdulkarim Abdulmajib is the candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP
The candidates’ qualifications, as contained in the INEC document, include First School Leaving Certificate, Senior Secondary School Certificate, National Certificate in Education, bachelor’s degree and doctorate qualifications
The bye-election follows the death of the incumbent member representing the constituency, Hon Yaya Bauchi Tongo, who died on June 12, 2026, in an Abuja hospital after a brief illness.
Following his death, the House of Representatives formally declared the Gombe/Kwami/Funakaye Federal Constituency seat vacant on Thursday, July 23, 2026
The declaration was made by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, in accordance with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.
The declaration formally notified INEC of the vacancy and paved the way for the commission to conduct a bye-election to fill the vacant seat within the period prescribed by law
The House leadership stressed the importance of ensuring continued legislative representation for residents of Gombe, Kwami and Funakaye Local Government Areas
Before his death, Tongo, who represented the constituency on the platform of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, was Chairman of the Nigeria-United Arab Emirates Parliamentary Friendship Group in the House of Representatives
His political career also included service as Chairman of Funakaye Local Government Area, Special Adviser to the Gombe State Government and member of the Gombe State House of Assembly
He later proceeded to the National Assembly, where he represented the Gombe/Kwami/Funakaye Federal Constituency until his death
The Speaker, on behalf of the leadership and members of the House, had commiserated with the government and people of Gombe State, constituents of Gombe/Kwami/Funakaye and the immediate family of the late lawmaker
The bye-election is expected to produce a new representative for the constituency following the conclusion of the electoral process