Ahead of the February 16, 2019 senatorial elections, 42 of the 209 serving senators will not return to the chamber to resume for the 9th Senate to be inaugurated in June 2019.
The 42 senators who will not return to the Senate form those who on their own, stepped down for others, while some were forcibly asked to step down, following political intrigues, backstabbing, manourvering, among others, that played out, especially with some state governors who have rounded off their two terms and coming to the Senate.
Of the 42 serving senators already out, 19 voluntarily withdrew from the senatorial race at primary level or went for other elective positions, particularly governorship primaries, 23 others actually bidded for senatorial tickets on the platform of their political parties, but due to one issue or the other, lost out.
The 19 serving senators who voluntarily bowed out of the race or went for governorship race or for Presidential primary elections were Senators Ahmed Sani (APC Zamfara East), Bukar Abba Ibrahim (APC Yobe East), Abu Ibrahim (APC Katsina South), Abubakar Kyari (APC Borno North) and Kaka Gabbai (APC Borno Central).
Others include Jonah Jang (PDP Plateau North), Jeremiah Useni (PDP Plateau South), David Mark (PDP Benue South), Philip Gyunka (PDP Nasarawa North), Samuel Anyanwu (PDP Imo East), Abdulaziz Murtala Nyako (ADC Adamawa Central) and Usman Bayero Nafada (PDP Gombe North).
Also in this category are Kabiru Marafa (APC Zamfara Central), Shaaba Lafiagi (PDP Kwara North), Isiaka Adeleke (PDP Osun West), Sonny Ogborji (APC Ebonyi Central), John Enoh (APC Cross Rivers Central), Gbolahan Dada (APC Ogun West) and Hope Uzodinma (APC Imo West).
From the 23 who bidded in most of the states, they were confronted by the governors who were bent on ensuring that the senators did not return.
A case at hand is that of Niger State where the governor, Sani Bello, has put in place a political machinery to ensure that two senators from the State, Senators Aliyu Sabi, Niger North and David Umaru, Niger East, do not return to the Senate.
This is because the governor wants them replaced with new senators.
In the category of 23 serving senators who contested for return ticket, but lost were: Gbenga Ashafa (APC Lagos East), Lanre Tejuoso (APC Ogun Central), Fatima Raji Rasaki (APC Ekiti Central), Sola Adeyeye (APC Osun Central), and Babajide Omoworare (APC Osun East).
Others are Rilwan Akanbi (APC Oyo South), Gilbert Nnaji (PDP Enugu East), Emmanuel Paulker (PDP Bayelsa Central), Ben Murray Bruce (PDP Bayelsa west), Fosta Ogola (PDP Bayelsa South) and Ahmed Abubakar (APC Adamawa South).
Also in the category of failed bids are Rafiu Ibrahim (PDP Kwara South), Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi (APC Niger North), David Umoru (APC Niger East) and Joshua Dariye (APC Plateau Central who is serving a jail term in Kuje Prison, Abuja.
Of the serving senators, 67 will be battling it out in various political parties to return to the Senate for next year’s inauguration.
A survey shows that slighlty more than one third of the entire 109 serving senators (42), are already out of the race for election.
There are signs that at the end of the election, about one third (between 36-38) of the senators would come back as it had been the case since 2003.
Of the 67serving senators who already secured returned tickets are Senators Oluremi Tinubu (APC Lagos Central), Solomon Adeola Olamilekan (APC Lagos West), Buruji Kashamu (PDP Ogun East), Abiodun Olujimi (PDP Ekiti South) and Duro Faseyi (PDP Ekiti North).
Others are Monsurat Sunmonu (ADC, Oyo Central), Abdulfattah Buhari (APC Oyo North), Ike Ekweremadu (PDP Enugu West), Chukwuka Utazi (PDP Enugu North), Victor Umeh (APGA Anambra Central), Stella Oduah (PDP Anambra North), Andy Uba (APC Anambra South) and Sam Egwu (PDP Ebonyi North).
Also in this category are Senators Obinna Ogba (PDP Ebonyi Central) , Theodore Orji (PDP Abia Central), Mao Ohuambunwa (PDP Abia North), Enyinnaya Abaribe (PDP Abia South), Benjamin Uwajumogu (APC Imo central), Andrew Uchendu (APC Rivers East), Osinakachukwu Ideozu (PDP Rivers West), Rose Oko ( PDP Cross Rivers North and Gershom Bassey, PDP Cross Rivers South.
Others are Bassey Akpan (PDP Akwa Ibom North East), Godswill Akpabio (APC Akwa Ibom North West) and Nelson Effiong (APC Akwa Ibom South), Ovie Omo-Agege (APC Delta Central), James Manager (PDP Delta South), Peter Nwaoboshi (PDP Delta North), Francis Alimikhena (APC Edo North), Matthew Uroghide (PDP Edo South) and Clifford Ordia (PDP Edo Central).
Also in the category of returnee contests are Jibrin Barau (APC Kano North), Kabiru Gaya (APC Kano South), Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso (PDP Kano Central), Danjuma La’ah (PDP Kaduna South), Suleiman Hunkuyi (PDP Kaduna North), Shehu Sani (APC Kaduna Central), Abdullahi Gumel (APC Jigawa North), Sabo Mohammed (APC Jigawa Central) and Ubali Shittu (PDP Jigawa South).
Others are Aliyu Wammako (APC Sokoto North), Ibrahim Gobir (APC Sokoto East), Abdullahi Danbaba (PDP Sokoto Central), Tijjani Kaura (APC Zamfara North), Adamu Aliero (APC Kebbi Central), Yahaya Abdullahi (APC Kebbi North), Bala ibn Na’Allah (APC Kebbi South), Ahmed Baba Kaita (APC Katsina North) and Ali Ndume (APC Borno South).
Also in the return contest race are Ahmed Lawan (APC Yobe North), Mohammed Hassan (PDP Yobe South), Isa Misau (PDP Bauchi Central), Suleiman Nazif (PDP Bauchi North), Ibrahim Gumau (APC Bauchi South), Binta Garba – Masi (APC Adamawa North), Danjuma Goje ( APC Gombe Central), Joshua Lidani (PDP Gombe South), Yusuf Abubakar Yusuf (APC Taraba Central) and Emmanuel Bwacha (PDP Taraba South).
In the category of return contest too are the Senate President, Bukola Saraki (PDP Kwara Central), Dino Melaye (PDP Kogi West, Ahmed Ogembe (PDP Kogi Central), Attai Aidoko (PDP Kogi East), Abdullahi Adamu (APC Nasarawa west), Suleiman Adokwe (PDP Nasarawa North), Barnabas Gemade (SDP Benue North East), George Akume (APC Benue North West) and Philip Tanimu Aduda (PDP FCT).
Accordingly, with 67 of 109 senators having return tickets from their parties or new political platforms to contest for seat in the 9th Senate, strong indications have emerged that not more than 40 of them would eventually make it in the general elections, as it had always been since 2003.
