No fewer than 28 serving and former governors will be on the ballot to contest for different senatorial seats as they continue the tradition of governors moving to the red chamber as a retirement home.
Nine serving governors and 19 former governors are on the INEC list for the February 25 election. A further review of the INEC list by DAILY POST shows that 15 of them are running on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC, 12 belong to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, while Ibrahim Shekarau’s name appears under the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP.
It would be recalled that Mr. Shekarau already left the NNPP, however, his name appears as the candidate for the NNPP.
Below are the candidates and the seat they are contesting
- Mr. Nnamani, a former Governor of Enugu State, is seeking re-election in Enugu East Senatorial District for another term.
- Ibrahim Dankwabo the former Governor of Gombe State is the candidate for Gombe North senatorial district.
- The former Governor Adams Oshiomhole seems to have set his sights on the Red Chamber to represent Edo North Senatorial District.
- After an 8-year stay at the executive side, Governor Ben Ayade is seeking to return to the Senate to once again represent Cross River North, a district he represented from 2011 to 2015.
- David Umahi, Ebonyi State Governor, will be contesting an election for the very first time in a party that is not the PDP. He will be battling the incumbent senator, Nnachi Ama, who represents Ebonyi South.
- Adamu Aliero the former Governor of Kebbi State had to decamp to the PDP to recontest his senatorial seat after the incumbent governor, Atiku Bagudu set his sights on it. The two of them will have to battle for the Kebbi Central Senatorial district.
- Governor Aminu Tambuwal is seeking a second journey to the National Assembly. He is contesting for Sokoto North senatorial district.
- Darius Ishaku battle for Taraba South senatorial district.
- Samuel Ortom, the governor of Benue State is rounding up his tenure as governor, and like others, he is seeking to move to the Senate to represent Benue Northwest Senatorial district.
- Okezie Ikpeazu, Abia State governor, and a member of the G5 group is following the established pattern of governors by moving to the senate.
- Abubakar Sani Bello he Governor of Niger State has his eyes set on the Red Chamber to represent Niger North.
- Abdulaziz Yari -The former Governor of Zamfara State is seeking to return to a familiar territory the National Assembly.
- Ifeanyi Ugwanyi -The governor of Enugu state is also seeking to return to the National Assembly for Enugu North Senatorial District.
- Simon Lalong the governor of Plateau State and Director General of the Tinubu/Shettima campaign is also seeking to move to the Senate.
- Gbenga Daniel the former Governor of Ogun State is also seeking to move to the Senate as the APC candidate in Ogun East senatorial district.
- Aliyu Wamakko – The former Governor of Sokoto State has been in the Senate since 2015 and is once again seeking re-election.
- Kabiru Gaya was governor of Kano State in the Third Republic (1992-1993). He currently represents Kano South in the Senate.
- Umar Tanko (Almakura) the former governor of Nasarawa State is seeking re-election to represent Nasarawa South senatorial District.
- Danjuma Goje -The former Governor of Gombe State is still contesting under the APC despite the dispute with Govern
- Orji Uzor Kalu -The former Governor of Abia State pulled a surprise in 2019 when he won the Abia North Senatorial district.
- Godswill Akpabio, After 4 years of sabbatical from the Senate, Akpabio is making another attempt.
- Seriake Dickson -The former governor of Bayelsa is also seeking re-election on the platform of the PDP. He may not have a tough task in the state.
- Gabriel Suswan-The former governor of Benue State will also contend with APC and LP, similar to the challenges facing Governor Ortom.
- Sam Egwu a former minister of education and one-time governor of Ebonyi State is once again seeking re-election to the Senate.
- Saminu Turaki was governor of Jigawa State from 1999 to 2007, and he was in the senate between 2007 to 2011 where he represented Jigawa northwest.
- Ibrahim Shekarau the former Governor of Kano State is NNPP senatorial candidate for Kano Central Senatorial district despite that he has moved to PDP.
- Governor Abubakar Bagudu will be facing a former governor of Kebbi State, Adamu Aleiro.
- Ibrahim Geidam the former Yobe State governor got the nod of his party to re-contest the seat.