2023 Elections: 10 Serving, Ex-Governors Swept By Election Tsunami

By Abdul Seye

The National Assembly election has produced a tsunami that has claimed a lot of political casualties, particularly among governors and ex-governors.

Ten (10) serving and ex-governors according to the reports, lost their senatorial bid in the just concluded 25th February election.

Here are the governors and former governors that were swept apart by the election tsunami.

Abubakar Bagudu

The governor of Kebbi State lost his bid to return to the senate. He was defeated by a former governor of the state, Adamu Aleiro.

Mr Aleiro was in the APC before he defected to the Peoples Democratic Party and picked the ticket of the party. Aleiro defeated his successor.

Samuel Ortom

In the build up to the election, the governor of Benue State had expressed his willingness to sacrifice his senatorial ambition for the presidential aspiration of Peter Obi of the Labour Party.

Well, it appears the sacrifice was accepted, as he lost the election; however, Mr Obi equally did not win.

Ortom was defeated by Titus Zam, his former Special Adviser on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.

Mr Zam polled 143,151 votes to defeat Ortom who scored 106,882.

Tanko Almakura

The tsunami also removed Tanko Almakura, the former Governor of Nasarawa State. He lost his re-election bid for Nasarawa South senatorial district.

Almakura was defeated by Mohammed Onawo of the Social Democratic Party. Onawo got 93,064 votes to defeat Mr Al-Makura who polled 76,813 votes.

Simon Lalong

The governor of Plateau State and Director General of Bola Tinubu presidential campaign council was also displaced.

He was defeated by Bali Ninkap Napoleon of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Napoleon got 148,844 votes to defeat Governor Lalong of APC with 91,674 votes for the Plateau South Senatorial district.

Kabiru Gaya

The former Governor of Kano became a victim of Rabiu Kwankwaso’s wave in Kano.

He was defeated by Kawu Samaila of the New Nigeria Peoples Party.

Gaya was a governor in the short-lived third republic.

Ifeanyi Ugwanyi

Incumbency failed to save Enugu Governor Ugwanyi from the cold hands of defeat on Saturday.

His bid to return to the National Assembly was truncated by the Obedient movement in Enugu State.

Okey Ezea of the Labour Party got a landslide victory as he polled 104, 492 votes to defeat his closest rival, Gov Ugwuanyi, who got 46, 948 votes.

Ben Ayade

Mr Ayade, known for his big grammar, also lost on Saturday.

The incumbent Senator, Jarigbe Agom-Jarigbe of the Peoples Democratic Party got 76,145 votes, while Ayade polled 56,595.

Ayade was in the senate from 2011 to 2015; however, his attempt to return to the Red Chamber has been truncated.

Okezie Ikpeazu

The Governor of Abia State failed to achieve what his predecessor, Theodore Orji accomplished, which is moving to the Senate after finishing his two terms as governor.

Ikpeazu was defeated by the candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Enyinnaya Abaribe.

In fact, Mr Ikpeazu came a distant third behind the Labour Party (LP) candidate, Chinedu Onyeizu.

Darius Ishaku

The governor of Taraba State also tasted defeat on Saturday as he was beaten by David Jimkuta of the APC.

Mr Jimkuta polled 85,415 votes to defeat the incumbent governor and candidate of the PDP who polled 45,708 votes.

Sam Egwu

The sojourn of the former Governor of Ebonyi, Sam Egwu has temporarily been suspended after he was defeated at the poll on Saturday.

Mr Egwu, a former Minister for Education has been in the Senate since 2015.

He was defeated by the candidate of the APC and former State Chairman of the PDP, Peter Nwebonyi.

Nwebonyi got 65,863 votes. His closest opponent, Anselem Enigwe of the Labour Party scored 42,283 to emerge second, while Senator Egwu of PDP came a distant third with 26,569 votes.