With the announcement of the results of last Saturday’s National Assembly elections, some high profile senators won’t be returning to the Red Chamber. They were trounced at the polls by lesser known opponents.
There were also some senatorial candidates, currently serving in other capacities, who also became casualties in the hire wire politics of the moment. Governor Abiola Ajimobi and Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe State fell to their opponents unceremoniously.
Here are some of them.
Bukola Saraki
The senate president is arguably the highest casualty of the election. His defeat has been attributed to a revolution by the masses spurred on by the elites. He was defeated by Dr. Ibrahim Yahaya Oloriegbe of the All Progressives Congress, APC.
Many reasons have been adduced as to why the man, who became the scion of the Saraki political dynasty after the demise of his father lost. But the one that stands out was the combination of forces, which culminated in the “O to ge” (enough is enough) mantra.
Some also said he over dribbled himself. For the first time, he had the power and the structure of the federal might to contend with.
And whenever history of the political revolution that hits Kwara State like a tsunami culminating in the fall of his dynasty is to be written, the name of one Musibau Esinrogunjo, one of the emerging young Turks that will shape the future politics of the state will prominently feature.
The young man allegedly commands a cult of followers and mass of supporters, majority of whom are youths and women who see in him, the future hope of Kwara.
He is among the few Ilorin youths who spearheaded the revolution that culminated in the massive demands for a change of guards in politics and governance of the state.
He comes across as a revolutionary who does not believe in the myth of the invincibility of the Sarakis or any other conservative institution.
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Abiola Ajimobi
Governor Abiola Ajimobi lost his bid to return to the senate after his second term in office. He was defeated by Dr. Kola Balogun for the ticket to represent Oyo South senatorial district, the junior brother to Chief Lekan Balogun. Kola Balogun was a commissioner in the government of Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala and was a national secretary to one of the five political parties during the infamous reign of Gen. Sani Abacha.
Ajimobi, The Nigerian Xpress learnt, lost to the penchant of Ibadan people not to vote for an office holder twice.
The senatorial district has nine local governments with five in Ibadan. Ajimobi lost in Ibadan North, Ibadan North-West, Ibadan South-East, Ibadan North-East, Ibarapa North and Ibarapa East. He won only in Ibadan South-West, as well as Ibarapa Central and Ido local government areas.
“Ibadan doesn’t appreciate anything or anybody. He won his re-election in 2015 without the support of Ibadan people. He won with the support of votes from Oke Ogun, Oyo and other areas outside Ibadan.
“He has never been supported by the core Ibadan people. Ibadan municipal councils didn’t support him. Majority of Ibadan people felt bad that he won his second term. They are still standing on the old principle that ‘Ibadan o ki nsin eniyan ni emeji’ (Ibadan people don’t vote twice for an office holder).
“The bitterness of his second term election victory is still there with them. In fact, during the euphoria of the second term win when people were saying ko sele ri (it has never happened before), there was also the chorus ko ni sele mo (it won’t happen again),” a source said.
Godswill Akpabio
Godswill Akpabio was the former governor of Akwa Ibom State and former Senate Minority Leader of the Senate.
As candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Ikot Ekpene Senatorial district, he polled 83,158 as against 118,215 votes for his opponent, Chris Ekpenyong of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
Akpabio defected to APC last year, in what commentators considered a political suicide, being from the South South geo-political zone, considered to be the bastion of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
George Akume
Former senate Minority Leader, three time senator, Dr. George Akume also lost his bid to return to the Red Chamber for the Fourth time from the Benue North West on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC. Akume lost to Emmanuel Orker Jev of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP. Jev polled 157,726 votes to defeat Akume, who scored 115,422 votes
Akume was also a former governor of Benue State.
Binta Masi Garba
Binta Masi Garba is the senator representing Adamawa North Senatorial District on the platform of All Progressives Congress, APC.
She is the only female senator from the north in the eighth National Assembly.
Garba lost her re-election bid to Ishaku Cliff of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
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Shehu Sani
Shehu Sani contested on the platform of the Peoples Redemption Party, PRP, but lost to his rival, Uba Sani of the All Progressives Congress, APC, for the Kaduna Central Senatorial District.
The lawmaker currently represents the zone in the Senate.
Uba Sani is an aide to Governor Nasir El-Rufai.
At the end of collation early Tuesday, the Returning Officer, Zakari Muhammed, declared Uba Sani winner of the senatorial contest.
Uba Sani polled 355, 242 votes while leading in five local governments.
Next to Uba Sani is Lawal Usman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, who scored 195,497 votes.
Shehu Sani polled 70, 613 to emerge third.
Shehu Sani was elected to the Senate on the platform of APC, but defected to PRP after he fell out with Governor El-Rufai.
On the floor of the Senate, he was a staunch critic of President Muhammadu Buhari.
Abiodun Olujimi
Abiodun Olujimi represents Ekiti South Senatorial District in the Senate on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. She was defeated by Prince Adedayo Adeyeye, having scored 77,621, while she polled 53,741 votes.
Adeyeye was in PDP but left last year, in protest against moves by then Governor Ayo Fayose who endorsed his deputy for the governorship election without allowing for a level playing field for all the contestants.
