Electoral revolution sacks famous names, elevates little known ones
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Ten sitting and former Governors were sacked or prevented from going to the Senate in the electoral tsunami the National Assembly (NASS) ballot threw up last Saturday, many of them unexpected.
Benue Governor Samuel Ortom had announced he would not mind sacrificing his Senate bid to ensure the victory of Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP). Obi lost the state by a whisker, and Ortom’ s quest was also scuttled.
But Enugu Governor Ifeanyi Ugwanyi and some of his other colleagues did not expect to be trounced, as compiled below, gleaned from reporting by Daily Post.
Abubakar Bagudu (Kebbi)
Kebbi Governor Abubakar Bagudu lost his bid to return to the Senate, defeated by former Governor Adamu Aleiro.
Aleiro was in the All Progressives Congress (APC) before he defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and picked its senatorial ticket.
Samuel Ortom (Benue)
Ortom had expressed his willingness to sacrifice his senatorial ambition for the presidential aspiration of Obi.
The sacrifice was accepted, as he lost the election, just as Obi lost Benue to Bola Tinubu, APC presidential candidate.
Ortom was defeated by Titus Zam, his former Special Adviser on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.
Zam polled 143,151 votes against Ortom’s 106,882.
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Tanko Almakura (Nasarawa)
Tanko Almakura, former Nasarawa Governor, lost his re-election bid for Nasarawa South Senatorial District.
He was defeated by Mohammed Onawo of the Social Democratic Party (SDP). Onawo got 93,064 votes to defeat Al-Makura who picked up 76,813.
Simon Lalong (Plateau)
Simon Lalong, Plateau Governor and APC Presidential Campaign Council Director General, was rejected for the Senate by voters who chose Bali Napoleon of the PDP.
Napoleon got 148,844 votes to Lalong’s 91,674 in Plateau South Senatorial District.
Kabiru Gaya (Kano)
Third Republic Kano Governor Kabiru Gaya was swept away by the Rabiu Kwankwaso’s wave in the state.
He was defeated by Kawu Samaila of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) for a Senate spot.
Ifeanyi Ugwanyi (Enugu)
Enugu Governor Ifeanyi Ugwanyi’s bid to return to the NASS was truncated by the Obedient movement.
Okey Ezea of the LP got a landslide victory with 104, 492 votes to defeat Ugwuanyi, who got 46, 948.
Ben Ayade (Cross River)
Cross River Governor Ben Ayade failed to transition to the Senate from Government House, Calabar.
Incumbent Senator Jarigbe Agom-Jarigbe of the PDP garnered 76,145 votes against Ayade’s 56,595.
Ayade had served in the Senate from 2011 to 2015 before he became Governor.
Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia)
Abia Governor Okezie Ikpeazu failed to achieve what his predecessor, Theodore Orji – moving to the Senate after his two terms.
Ikpeazu was defeated by All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) candidate Enyinnaya Abaribe.
Ikpeazu came a distant third behind LP candidate Chinedu Onyeizu.
Darius Ishaku (Taraba)
Taraba Governor Darius Ishaku also tasted defeat at the hands of David Jimkuta of the APC.
Jimkuta polled 85,415 votes to defeat Ishaku of the PDP who got 45,708 votes.
Sam Egwu (Ebonyi)
Former Ebonyi Governor Sam Egwu was defeated in the senatorial ballot by former state PDP Chairman Peter Nwebonyi.
Nwebonyi got 65,863 votes, followed by Anselem Enigwe of the LP (42,283), and Egwu of the PDP (26,569).
Egwu, a former Minister for Education, has been in the Senate since 2015.