With just four days to the Presidential and National Assembly elections fixed for this Saturday, 66 out of the 108 serving senators are battling for fresh mandates from electorate across their various senatorial districts. Taiye Odewale examines the shapes of the coming contests with attendant tensions ahead of the polls.
Since there are 109 Senatorial districts across the country on the basis of three Senators per state and one for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT Abuja), the number of elected cum serving senators at any time should be 109. Currently though, in the 8th Senate, they are 108 because of conviction of Senator Joshua Dariye (APC) Plateau Central, by a court of competent jurisdiction on alleged embezzlement of public funds while in office. He was governor of Plateau State from May, 1999 to May, 2007. He is at present being incarcerated at the Kuje Prisons since June last year.
Task for Saraki?
Be that as it is, leading the pack of the 66 out of the 108 serving senators in the reelection bids this Saturday is the Senate President himself, Senator Bukola Saraki (PDP, Kwara Central). He will be squaring it up with Dr Yahaya Oloriegbe, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the Senatorial seat.
Ordinarily, Oloriegbe’s challenge against Saraki would have been considered as a mismatch going by the political pedigree of Saraki whose family’s political dynasty has has been determining the pendulum of victory in any election in the state since 1979. But due to some prevailing factors like power of incumbency at the centre and O to ge movement at the state level, not a few think the contest will be more than ordinary for Saraki who, despite all odds, stands better chance of winning.
Another serving senator from the state contesting for re-election is Rafiu Ibrahim (PDP, Kwara South). He is set to slug it out with a fellow Ibolo man from Offa in the person of architect Lola Ashiru of the APC.
Kogi PDP senators poise to return
In Kogi State, all the serving senators from Dino Melaye (PDP Kogi West), Ahmed Ogembe (PDP Kogi Central) and Attai Aidoko (PDP Kogi East) are contesting for re-election against candidates of other political parties, particularly those of the APC which has the likes of Senator Smart Adeyemi to slug it out with Melaye in Kogi West.
Will APGA’s Umeh return?
Return bids for Senators Andy Uba (APC Anambra South) Victor Umeh (APGA Anambra Central) and Stella Oduah (PDP Anambra North) are going to be tough in the Saturday contest.
Specially in Anambra South where Andy Uba of the APC is seeking for re-election, it will be billionaire battle as he has the likes of Chris Uba of the PDP, Nicholas Ukachukwu of APGA and Ifeanyi Uba of the Action Alliance to contend with. The same applies to Senator Victor Umeh from Anambra Central who is being seriously challenged by Senator Comfort Ekwunife of the PDP.
Ordinarily, Ekwunife’s against Umeh would have seem a foregone conclusion for Umeh whose political image, pedigree and clout appears much better than that of the female lawmaker. However, the female senator’s electoral fortunes are being boosted by Peter Obi’s candidature.
The former governor is the running mate to the PDP presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. And the people would have to decide between supporting the candidacy of Peter Obi and Umeh. Of course, Obi is from the same Anambra Central senatorial district with Ekwunife and Victor Umeh and it seems that with the PDP’s control of the area and people’s love for Obi there could be a possibility of Ekwenuife benefitting from the love for Obi.
Ajimobi, for Reps Speaker in the trench
Facing similar hot re-election bids are the three serving senators from Oyo State in the persons of Rilwan Akanbi (ADC Oyo South), Monsurat Sunmonu (ADC Oyo Central) and Abdufatah Buhari (APC Oyo North).
Akanbi is the most challenged of the three as he faces Governor Isiaka Abiola Ajimobi of the APC for the Oyo South senatorial contest just as Abdulfattah Buhari is also having a tough contest to face with the candidature of Speaker of the House of Representatives Mulikat Adeola Akande of the PDP.
Ekweremadu, others roll up sleeves
Also in the race for re-election bids are the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu ( PDP, Enugu West), Senator Chukwuka Utazi (PDP, Enugu North), Senate Minority Leader, Abiodun Olujimi (PDP, Ekiti South), Duro Faseyi (PDP, Ekiti North), Deputy Minority Leader, Emmanuel Bwacha (PDP Taraba South) and Minority Whip, Philip Tanimu Aduda (PDP FCT).
Others are, Suleiman Adokwe (PDP, Nasarawa South), Obinna Ogba (PDP, Ebonyi Central), Sam Egwu (PDP, Ebonyi North), Mao Ohuanbunwa (PDP, Abia North) Theodore Orji (PDP, Abia Central) and Eyinnaya Abaribe (PDP, Abia South).
Also on the PDP platform for the return bid contest are Senators Albert Bassey Akpan (Akwa Ibom North East), Gebshom Bassey (Cross River North), Rose Oko (Cross River South), James Manager (Delta South), Peter Nwaoboshi (Delta North), Mathew Urhoghide (Edo South) and Clifford Ordia (Edo Central).
From the North East and North West in that category are senators Mohammed Hassan (Yobe South), Isa Misau (Bauchi South) , Suleiman Nazif ( Bauchi North), Ibrahim Abdullahi Danbaba ( Sokoto Central), Ubali Shittu (Jigawa North), Danjuma La’ah ( Kaduna South), Suleiman Hunkuyi (Kaduna North) and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso (Kano Central).
Tough contest for APC senators
On the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC ) for the contest are the Senate Leader, Ahmed Lawan (Yobe North), Deputy Leader, Bala Ibn Na’Allah (Kebbi south) and Deputy whip of the Senate, Francis Alimekhena (Edo North).
Others are Senators Oluremi Tinubu (Lagos Central), Adeola Olamilekan (Lagos West), Tayo Alasoadura (Ondo central), Ajayi Boroffice (Ondo North), Yele Omogunwa (Ondo South), Abdulfatah Buhari (Oyo North), David Umoru (Niger East), Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi ( Niger North), George Akume (Benue North west) and Abdullahi Adamu (Nasarawa west).
On the APC platform from South East and South South are Senators Benjamin Uwajumogu (Imo Central), Andy Uba ( Anambra South), Godswill Akpabio ( Akwa Ibom North West), Nelson Effiong ( Akwa Ibom South) and Ovie Omo – Agege ( Delta Central.
Senator Akpabio is in serious battle with former deputy governor Chris Ekpeyong who in all ramifications is a grassroots politician and connects easily with the people. Ekpeyong, who is flying the ticket of the PDP, is poised to rattle Akapbio in a battle that could consign the eventual loser into political oblivion.
From North East and North West on the APC platform are senators Ali Ndume (Borno South), Abubakar Kyari (Borno North), Binta Garba Masi (Adamawa North), Yusuf Abubakar Yusuf (Taraba Central), Danjuma Goje (Gombe Central) and Lawan Yahaya Gumau (Bauchi South).
Others are Ahmed Baba Kaita ( Katsina North), Ibrahim Gobir ( Sokoto East), Aliyu Wammako ( Sokoto South), Jibrin Barau ( Kano North), Kabiru Gaya ( Kano South), Abdullahi Yahaya ( Kebbi North) and Mohammed Gumel (Jigawa North).
Those contesting on the platforms of other parties are Senators Shehu Sani (PRP Kaduna Central) and Barnabas Gemade (SDP Benue North East).
Aside the 66 senators going for reelection contest in four days time, seven others are preparing to try their luck in the governorship elections slated for March 2, 2019.
They are John Enoh (APC Cross River), Buruji Kashamu (PDP Ogun) and Usman Bayero Nafada (PDP Gombe). Others are Sonny Ugboji (APC Ebonyi), Hope Uzodinma (APC Imo State) and Jeremiah Useni (PDP Plateau State).
Statistically, out of the 35 remaining serving senators not contesting in any of the coming elections, 33 of them fell into that category in October last year after their parties’ primaries while two, namely Andrew Uchendu and Magnus Abe from Rivers state were added to the list this year on account of court pronouncements against the APC in the State.
Though the outcome of the elections would not change the present membership and power configuration in the senate but it would certainly determine the configuration of the 9th senate this June.
