2023 Yobe State gubernatorial election

The Governor of Yobe State is elected using a modified two-round system. To be elected in the first round, a candidate must receive the plurality of the vote and over 25% of the vote in at least two-thirds of state local government areas. If no candidate passes this threshold, a second round will be held between the top candidate and the next candidate to have received a plurality of votes in the highest number of local government areas.

Yobe State is a large, diverse northeastern state in the process of recovering from the worst of the Boko Haram insurgency. Still facing threats from Boko Haram and ISWAP, the state also has to contend with an underdeveloped yet vital agricultural sector, desertification, and low education rates.

Politically, the 2019 elections confirmed Yobe's status as one of the most staunchly APC states in the nation as both Buhari and Buni won the state by wide margins and every single legislative seat on the senatorial, house of representatives, and house of assembly levels were carried by APC nominees.

Over the course of Buni's term, his administration stated focuses included rebuilding the state's educational system, timely payment of civil servant salaries, and upgrading and repairing transportation infrastructure.[6][7] However, Buni's political situation changed about 13 months into his term when he was appointed National Caretaker Chairman of All Progressives Congress; choosing to serve in the Abuja-based position while continuing as governor was controversial, even more so after he admitted to spending only "three or four days in Yobe" every month.[8] Questioned by the PDP over the constitutionality of holding the second job, Buni remained at the helm of the APC until the party's March 2022 convention. After leaving office, analysts questioned if Buni could successfully return to his state after withdrawing to Abuja for nearly two years and, supposedly, lobbying to become the party's vice presidential nominee instead of returning to the governorship.[9]

The primaries, along with any potential challenges to primary results, were to take place between 4 April and 3 June 2022 but the deadline was extended to 9 June.[2][10]

In the months after the primaries, analysts noted the relative weakness of the PDP in Yobe along with several major defections from the party as reasons it would be difficult to challenge the strong APC hold on the state. However, the PDP claimed Abdullahi had mass grassroots support and would shock the APC while the APC used infrastructural projects as evidence of Buni's impact during his term in office.[22]

By 2023, attention largely switched to the presidential election on 25 February. In the election, Yobe State voted for Atiku Abubakar (PDP); Abubakar won 52.5% of the vote, beating Bola Tinubu (APC) at 40.0%. The result—which was labeled as an upset as projections had favored Tinubu—led to increased attention on the gubernatorial race and its potential competitiveness. Gubernatorial campaign analysis from after the presidential election noted that PDP had gained momentum from the presidential results while a surprised APC was renewing campaign efforts.[23] Nevertheless, the EiE-SBM forecast projected Buni to win while a Vanguard piece predicted that Buni was favoured but "may need to work harder for re-election."[24][25]

• 2023 Nigerian elections
• 2023 Nigerian gubernatorial elections