Serving and former state governors seem to have found the Senate a comfortable retirement haven. Ahead of the 2023 general election, many of them have secured the tickets of political parties in their bid to represent various constituencies. Checks by The Nation revealed that not less than 30 serving and past governors will be contesting for seats in the National Assembly next year. TONY AKOWE reports
Since the return to democracy in 1999, several former governors have passed through the National Assembly, especially the Senate and many are still seeking to be there. Among those who have passed through the Senate are former Kaduna state governor, Ahmed Mohammed Makarfi, former Kano state governor, Rabiu Musa Kwakwaso, former Plateau state governors, Joshua Dariye and David Jonah Jang and former Ogun state governor, Ibikunle Amosun.
Others are former Akwa Ibom state governor an immediate past Minister for Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio, former Nasarawa state governor and current National Chairman of the APC, Abdullahi Adamu, former Anambra state governor and Minister of Labour and Employment, Chirs Ngige, former Kwara state governor and immediate past Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki and former Zamfara state governor, Sani Ahmed Yerima, among many other.
Ahead of the 2023 general election, serving and former governor are as usual, angling to proceed to the Senate chamber. The past and serving governors interested in either going to, or returning to the Senate are:
Adams Oshiomhole
The former Edo state governor has secured the ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to fly the flag of the party for Edo North Senatorial District. Many believe that Oshiomhole has all it takes to lead the party to victory in the election. He served as National Chairman of the APC for two years, overseeing the 2019 election. He is very versed in the politics of the state.
Oshiomhole, who is the leader of the APC in Edo state, has an edge over his opponents and many pundits are giving him victory at the poll. But he will have to first stave off the stiff opposition planned against him by the governor of the state, his erstwhile political son, Godwin Obaseki and the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.
Aliyu Wammako
Wammako has been in the Senate since leaving office as the governor of Sokoto state in 2015. A grassroots politician and a man regarded by many has being in control of Sokoto politics. Wamakko currently seats at the head of two major committees in the Senate; he’s chairman of the committee on Defence and deputy chairman of committee on Anti-Corruption.
Wammakko is perhaps one of very few Nigerians to have resigned as deputy governor. He left the position in 2006 due to what many regarded as irreconcilable differences between him and then Governor Attahiru Bafarawa. He is a founding member of the APC after joining the party along with some other PDP governors in the build up to the 2015 elections. he looks good to retain his seat.
Abdulaziz Yari
Yari is a former chairman of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) in Zamfara state. He later served as National Financial Secretary of the party before being elected as a member of the House of Representatives to represent Anka/Talata Mafara Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives. From the House, he was elected governor in 2011, succeeding Mahmud Shinkafi who defected from the ANPP on whose platform he was elected governor to the PDP.
His insistence in anointing his successor in 2019 led to the unending fight between him and Senator Kabiru Marafa, which cost the APC the elections they fought so hard to win as the Supreme Court nullified their participation, paving the way for Bello Matawalle of the PDP to become governor. Yari’s ambition was to become the National Chairman of the APC. But that was not to be as the position was zoned by the party to the north central and way from his reach.
With Matawalle now a member of the APC, Yari felt that his political future was threatened and held several discussions with the PDP with the view to teaming up with them. The APC has however offered him the Senatorial ticket in a deft political move by Governor Matawalle. Pundits say with his feud with Marafa now over, and Governor Mattawale willing to support him, Yari looks pretty good to win the election and join other former governors at the senate in 2023.
Kabiru Gaya
Gaya is one of the oldest serving members of the Senate having been elected into the red chamber in 2007. He was elected governor of Kano state under the defunct National Republican Convention (NRC) in the ill-fated third republic. He currently occupies the position of the chairman, Senate Committee on Electoral Matters and helped midwife what is regarded as the best electoral law in the country so far.
Gaya’s tenure as governor of Kano state was short lived by the military, but he has been an integral part of the legislature since he was elected in 2007. He remained one of those that the APC looked up to in the state and is likely to have an easy ride back to the Senate, especially with Governor Abdullahi Ganduje solidly behind him in his quest to remain in the red chamber.
Atiku Bagudu
The Kebbi state governor left the Senate to become governor of his home state in 2015 and wants to return to the red chamber in 2023. He is currently the Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum comprising all elected APC governors. Bagudu was succeeded in the Senate by former governor, Adamu Aliero whom he has had a running battle with for a while because of his ambition to return to the Senate.
The capacity to buy into the Anchor Borrowers programme of the Federal government which has turned the state into one of the major rice producing state in the country is one thing that he has going for him. Aliero pulled out of the Senatorial contest of the APC to pick the ticket of the PDP. The contest between the duo promises to be a very interestingly fierce one as both are well grounded grassroots politicians.
Chimaroke Nnamani
The former Enugu state was first elected to the Senate in 2007 immediately after his eight year tenure as governor. He was re-elected in 2019 and is seeking a third term in the red chamber. Popularly known as Ebaeno by his supporters, Nnamani will be banking on the popularity of the PDP in Enugu state to return to the Senate.
But it is left to be seen whether the people of the senatorial district will stick with him amidst the ongoing clamour for zoning from a section of the district. Another issue of concern is the general disenchantment with the PDP in the southeast for not considering the region for its presidential ticket. But be that as it may, Nnamani remain one of the numerous ex-governors seeking to be part of the lawmaking process in the country from 2023.
Tanko Almakura
Since leaving office as governor in 2015, Al-Makura has been a member of the red chamber. For eight years, he was the only governor elected on the platform of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) established by President Muhammadu Buhari. He contested for the National Chairmanship position of the APC at its national convention, but failed to get the seat.
Many had believed that because of his closeness to the President as the only CPC governor to join the merger that gave birth to the APC, President Buhari will back him for the chairmanship position. But they were wrong as the President choose Abdullahi Adamu instead. He got an automatic return ticket to the Senate instead, probably as a compensation for stepping down for Adamu at the convention. But whether he will surmount the challenges ahead is the big question begging for answer.
Danjuma Goje
Goje is a former Minister and two time governor of Gombe state. He was one of those who contested the position of the Senate President in 2019, stepping down for current Senate President, Ahmed Lawan. During the party primaries, his name appeared on the PDP list of aspirants, but he promptly denied the link, insisting that he was not a member of the PDP. He also wrote to the PDP National Chairman threatening legal action.
Serving as Minister, then governor and now Senator, gives Goje an edge over his opponents. But there are those who believe he has a tough battle to fight to return to the Senate following the face-off between him and the Governor Inuwa Yahaya, which lingered for years and polarized the APC in Gombe state until the resolution of the crisis a couple of months ago by the national leadership of the party as part of effort to ensure the party wins the 2023 elections.
Simon Lalong
Simon Lalong is currently the Chairman of the Northern Governors Forum and he is completing his second term as governor of Plateau state. A former Speaker of the Plateau state House of Assembly, Lalong has the legislative experience needed to be a member of the red chamber. As governor, many have often accused him of not doing enough to halt the killings on the Plateau.
Interestingly, it was his supporters led by a member of the House of Representatives, Adamu Yusuf Gagdi, who once served as his deputy that bought his nomination form to run for the Senate seat. His predecessors in office, Joshua Dariye and David Jonah Jang, have also served in the Senate at one time or the other.
Orji Kalu
Orji Uzor Kalu is another former governor seeking a return to the Senate to represent Abia North. He was first elected to the Senate in 2019, taking over from Mao Ohuabuwa. Orji won the Senate seat at a time when the APC was not popular in Abia state. He was elected governor on the platform of the PDP, before forming the Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA).
He was the first to back out of the APC presidential race when it became clear that the southeast will not be getting the opportunity to pick the party’s presidential ticket. He opted to support Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, for the presidential ticket. But whether that will give him the opportunity of returning to the national assembly in 2023 is left to be seen.
Gbenga Daniel
Between 2003 and 2011, Gbenga Daniel served as governor of Ogun state on the platform of the PDP. Since leaving office in 2011, not much has been heard of him. His emergence as the APC senatorial candidate for Ogun East makes him one of the ex-governors that may be part of the red chamber in 2023 considering the popularity of the APC in gun state.
Sani Bello
The Niger state governor has secured the ticket of the APC to contest the senatorial seat, displacing Senator Sahabi Abdullahi, who currently occupies the seat. He was a member of the Caretaker and Extra-Ordinary Convention Planning Committee of the APC and was rumoured to have attempted to take over the committee when the Buni led leadership was dragging foot about the convention until the Independent National Electoral Commission intervened.
Kashim Shettima
Kashim Shettima was elected Senator in 2019 after competing his two terms as governor of Borno state. Between 2015 and 2019, he was the Chairman of the Northern Governors Forum. A strong supporter of power shift to the south, Shettima may have smooth sail back to the Senate due to his popularity among the people and as a result of the strong hold of the APC in Borno state.
Samuel Ortom
Ortom was elected governor of Benue state in 2015 on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC). He however decamped to the PDP midway into his first tenure as governor. He is the third Benue state governor to seek a senatorial ticket. The first governor in the 4th republic, George Akume and his immediate predecessor, Gabriel Suswam have all been elected to the Senate after serving their eight years as governor. Ortom wants to follow suit and has already secured the ticket of the PDP to run for the senate.
Theodore Orji
Orji succeeded Orji Ozor Kalu as governor of Abia state, winning his election while in EFCC custody. He was elected Senator immediately he completed his second tenure a governor. He is popularly known as Uchendo worldwide. He is seeking to return to the Senate in 2023 for the third time running, having being elected for the first time in 2015. The popularity of the PDP in Abia state is a plus for him. He is the second former governor of Abia state seeking a seat in the Senate.
Ifeanyi Ugwuayi
Ugwuayi is the current governor of Enugu state and will complete his tenure in 2023. He has already secured the ticket of the PDP to contest the Enugu North senatorial seat. He was elected governor in 2015, winning a re-election in 2019. If Ugwuayi win the Senatorial election, he will be the second governor of Enugu state to be elected into the Senate after Dr. Chimaroke Nnamani.
Dairus Ishaku
Dairus Ishaku is one of the four PDP governors in the North and is a former Minister of state for Niger Delta Affairs. He was elected governor of the state of Taraba state in 2015. Along with his Deputy, Ishaku has secured the PDP ticket to go to the Senate. He secured his ticket to contest the Taraba South senatorial election as the sole candidate of the PDP, an indication that he is acceptable among his people and may have an easy ride to the legislature.
Ibrahim Gaidam
Gaidam served as governor of Yobe state for ten years. He was first sworn in as governor on January 27, 2009 following the death of the then governor, Mamman Bello Ali. He was then deputy governor to the late Ali. He contested and won election his first election as governor in 2011 and was re-elected in 2015. He was elected Senator to represent Yobe East in 2019 and has secured the ticket of his party, the APC to seek re-election in 2023.
Seriake Dickson
Dickson was first elected as a legislator representing Sagbama-Ekeremor Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives before winning election as governor of Bayelsa state. He was elected Senator representing Bayelsa West in December 2020 after a bye-election. He has won the ticket to contest the seat on the platform of the PDP. He joins the list of former governors seeking a seat in the upper legislative chamber.
Okezie Ikpeazu
Okezie Ikpeazu took over from Theodore Orji as Governor of Abia state in 2015. He is the third former governor of Abia state seeking a seat in the Senate and was elected unopposed s the PDP candidate for Abia South. He will however have a herculean task in his ambition as he will be up against the immediate past Minority Leader of the Senate, Eyinnaya Abaribe. Abaribe who is seeking to return to the Senate on the APGA platform.
Saminu Turaki
Turaki served as governor of Jigawa state between 1999 and 2007 and was generally regarded as the internet governor. He was elected on the platform of the PDP, but later joined the APC. He recently decamped back to the PDP and won the ticket of the party to contest for the Jigawa North West Senatorial seat.
Gabriel Suswan
Suswam was member of the House of Representatives before winning election as governor of Benue state in 2007. He served as governor till 2015 and won election to the Senate in 2015. He is also one of the former governors being investigated by the EFCC. He is seeking a second term in the Senate and is armed with lots of legislative experiences.
Ibrahim Shekarau
Ibrahim Shekarau was Permanent Secretary in the Kano state Ministry of Education before he was sacked by Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, signaling a rift between the two. He joined the ANPP and defeated Kwankaso in the 2003 governorship elections, serving out his two terms before Kwankwaso returned to government House in 2011.
He was the ANPP presidential candidate in 2011 and later served as a member of the merger committee that gave birth to the APC. He however left the party because of differences with Kwankwaso but returned again in 2018. He won election to the Senate in 2019 and is seeking re-election as Senator on the platform of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).
Dave Umahi
Umahi is the current governor of Ebonyi state. He contested for the APC presidential ticket, scoring 38 votes. He has however taken over the senatorial ticket earlier won by his brother. The governor, who won his elections on the platform of the PDP, joined the APC to actualize his presidential ambition. He is seeking to join another former Governor of the state, Sam Egwu in the red chamber.
Adamu Aliero
Elected as governor in 1999, Aliero took over from Atiku Bagudu as Senator in 2015 when the later contested for the governorship ticket of the state. The interest of Bagudu to return to the Senate after completing his tenure as governor has suddenly put Aliero’s ambition on line, forcing the former governor to dump the APC for the PDP. He has since been handled the PDP ticket and he will contesting against the governor in 2023.
Aminu Tambuwal
The former Speaker of the House of Representatives contested the PDP presidential primary, but stepped down for the eventual winner on the day of the convention. Many believe that while contesting the elections, he had a plan B like he did in 2019. He has since secured the ticket of the PDP to contest the senatorial election. Many believe that in stepping down from the Presidential race, he was negotiating for the position of Senate President in the event that the PDP form majority in the Senate. Tambuwal was elected governor of Sokoto state on the platform of the APC but joined Bukola Saraki and Samuel Ortom in dumping the APC for the PDP in 2018.
Sam Egwu
Sam Egwu was elected governor of Ebonyi state in 1999 was elected senator in 2015. He joined Dave Umahi as the second governor from the state seeking a senatorial seat.
Hassan Dankwambo
Dankwambo took over from Danjuma Goje as governor of Gombe state, completing his tenure in 2019. Before being elected governor, he had served as Accountant General of the Federation. He has won the PDP ticket to join his colleagues seeking a seat in the red chamber.