Headlines
The big losers and winners
Senator Saraki and Senator Akpabio, both failed to return to the Senate
By YUSUF MOHAMMED
The 2019 presidential and national assembly elections was full of surprises. Political pundits did not see most of the results coming.The results clearly show the changing of voting trends and politicians’ waning influence on the masses. Areas where victory used to be assured became losing grounds.
It also shows that arrogance cannot win you elections. You just have to understand the mood of your people. The result in some areas also points to the fact that no matter how popular a candidate may be his platform matters a lot.
The election was mainly between the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Below are the shocking wins and losses that were the hallmark of the February 23 national elections.
Saraki
The biggest shock was that the incumbent senate president and heir to the Saraki political dynasty in Kwara State, Dr. Bukola Saraki; he won’t be returning to the National Assembly. But for the ruling APC it was a welcome development.
While the presidential election between President Muhammadu Buhari of the APC and Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP was the biggest attraction of the day, in Kwara Central it was the senatorial seat that was the main focus. All eyes were on the senatorial candidates of the PDP, Bukola Saraki and Yahaya Oloriegbe of the APC.
Saraki was governor for eight years. That was from 2003 to 2011. After his tenure expired he decided to go to the senate under the platform of the PDP but not without installing Abdulfatai Ahmed as his successor. Saraki dumped the PDP for the APC in 2013 and won re-election in 2015. A few months later, he teamed up with members of the opposition in the Senate and some APC Senators who elected him as president of the senate.
The move would go a long way in defining the relationship between the executive and legislative arm of government and also shape many legislative activities of the 8th national assembly.Supporters and members of the APC have for a long time argued that Dr. Saraki of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was wrong to be occupying a seat they considered the APC’s. Saraki’s ouster would surely bring them joy.
Before Bukola, there was Dr. Olusola Saraki, the father of Bukola. Since his reign as Senator, the Saraki’s had been kingmakers in the state pushing their preferred candidate to occupy the governorship and other elective positions. This time around the people of Kwara had had enough. A campaign slogan “O to ge” was formed. It means enough is enough. Two weeks to the elections, the senator-elect Oloriogbe said, “O to ge is a movement that has made every member of the PDP, including Saraki jittery”.
His opponent whipped up sentiments that resonated with the people and on the election day, he was voted out.
Akpabio’s defeat
Senator Godswill Akpabio’s cross carpeting to the APC last year has cost him reelection to the National Assembly. It was widely believed that Akpabio was influential enough to not only win his re-election but also to ensure victory for Buhari in Akwa Ibom. But the people of Ikot-Ekpene Senatorial District did not think so. They voted instead for the PDP candidate, Christian Ekpenyong.
It was alleged that Akapbio would be made Senate President if he got re-elected. Now that dream is over. The campaign against him when he joined the ruling APC resonated with the people. AkwaIbom is traditionally a PDP State. Therefore, Akpabio joining the APC was a big mistake.
One of the biggest campaigns against him was the PDP telling the people of Ikot-Ekpene that the former governor planned to give out hectares of land to the Fulani herdsmen for cattle ranching in the state. Akpabio was not alone as Senator Nelson Effiong who joined Akpabio in the APC lost to Eyakenyi of the PDP.
George Akume
In Benue State, a former governor and incumbent senator representing Benue North-West Senatorial district, George Akume, lost his bid to return to the Senate for the fourth time.Mr.Akume of the APC was defeated by the candidate of the PDP, OrkerJev, a member of the House of Representatives.
The PDP candidate scored 157,726 against Akume’s 115,422 votes.Mr.Akume simply lost because his party, the APC became unpopular in the state. Unlike 2015, APC was the party to beat but this time around, it lost in all the senatorial districts.
Last year, Akume fell out with the state governor, Samuel Ortom, when some communities of the state were ravaged by herdsmen. His open support for President Buhari and his loyalty to the APC signaled his end politically.
The fall of the Ubah brothers
Incumbent Senator Andy Uba and his brother Chris Uba lost to chairman of Capital Oil and Gas Limited, IfeanyiUbah. IfeanyiUbah emerged winner of the Anambra South Senatorial district election under the platform of the Young Progressive Party (YPP). He polled 87,081 votes, to beat his closest rival, Chris Uba of the PDP with 52, 462 votes, and his elder brother, Senator Andy Uba with 13, 245 votes.
Like Saraki in Kwara, there was a time the Uba brothers were a household name in Anambra politics. Like the fall of the Saraki dynasty, this may also be the end of the Ubas politically.
Shehu Sani fails to return
Shehu Sani failed to secure a return certificate to the senate as he lost to UbaSani of the APC. Sani ran on the platform of the People’s Redemption Party (PRP). Sani who is the current senator, representing Kaduna Central won his seat on the platform of the APC in 2015. Since then, he has been having running battles with Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State.
Last year, Sani’s name was mentioned among the 15 senators who dumped the ruling APC for the PDP. He later denied joining the main opposition party and contested in the party’s primaries. El-Rufai made sure Sani did not get the ticket of the party.
As soon as that happened, political pundits predicted his downfall. He was being lured initially by the PDP but failed to join them, believing that he would get the mandate of the APC.
While Sani did very wellfour years ago, his performance last week was a far cry from his performance in 2015. This time around, he could not even win his polling unit, getting only 51 votes to Sani’s 236 votes.
Another senator lost his reelection bid in Abia state. Following the trend in some other states, political pundits are amazed that a former governor of Abia State, Orji UzorKalu was able to beat Senator Mao Ohabunwa of the PDP despite running on the platform of the APC. APC is not popular in the South – East. As far as Abia State is concerned, this is the first senator that will be representing a senatorial district in the state that is of the APC.
Kalu polled 31,203 votes to defeat Ohabunwa who polled 20, 801 votes.
Two sitting governors lost their senatorial bid
It is very common with many Nigerian governors to go to the senate after finishing their eight year mandate. Two governors got the shock of their lives as they were rejected by their people.
The two sitting governors who were not able to get enough votes to be elected as senators are Isiaka Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State and Ibrahim Dankwanbo of Gombe.
Ajimobi lost Oyo South Senatorial District to Dr. Kola Balogun of the PDP. While Balogun polled 105,720 votes, Ajimobi scored 95,279.
In the North, Dankwanbo who will complete his second term in office by May 29 like Ajimbo, lost his senatorial election. He lost his bid to represent the people of Gombe North to Sa’idu Alkali of the APC, polling 88,016 to Alkali’s 152,546.
Senate minority leader defeated in Ekiti State, two serving senators lost their reelection bid. The Senate Minority Leader, Biodun Olujimi of the PDP lost her Ekiti South reelection bid to Prince Adedayo Adeyeye of the APC polling 77,621 votes to defeat Olajumi who recorded 53,741 votes.
On the other hand, Senator Duro Faseyi of the PDP lost his Ekiti North senatorial district reelection bid to Olubunmi Adetumbi of the APC. Adetumbi got 60,689 votes while the incumbent got 49,209 votes.