As the ongoing announcement of results of last Saturday’s presidential and National Assembly election results by the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) approaches its twilight, no fewer than 24 of 67 senators, who sought to retain their seats in the 9th Senate won’t be returning as lawmakers.
Recall that out of 109 Senators who sought reelection, a total of 33 senators lost out in their respective party primary elections last year.
From the remaining 76 senators, eight will be vying for governorship position in their various states on March 9, 2018.
Senator Kabir Marafa would have made the number nine were it not for the thwarting of his governorship ambition on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC, by a faction of the party loyal to his state governor, Abdulaziz Yari, of Zamfara State.
Against that backdrop, a total of 67 senators stood for reelection into the Senate.
Below is a list of Senators who would not return to the 9th Senate because they lost at the polls last weekend.
Dr. Bukola Saraki (PDP, Kwara Central),
Godswill Akpabio (APC, Akwa Ibom West),
Nazif Gamawa (PDP, Bauchi)
Rafiu Ibrahim (PDP, Kwara South),
Tayo Alasoadura (APC, Ondo Central)
Yele Omogunwa (Ondo South).
Suleiman Hunkuyi (PDP, Kaduna North),
Monsurat Sunmonu (ADC, Oyo Central),
Rilwan Adesoji (ADP, Oyo South),
Abiodun Olujimi (PDP, Ekiti South),
Duro Faseyi (PDP, Ekiti North),
Mao Ohuabunwa (PDP, Abia North),
Andy Uba (APC, Anambra South)
Victor Umeh (APC Anambra Central).
Other serving senators in the category of those who lost on Saturday include:
Senators Shittu Ubali (PDP, Jigawa North East),
Shehu Sani (PRP, Kaduna Central),
Mohammed Hassan (PDP, Yobe South)
Binta Masi Garba (APC, Adamawa North).
Hamman Isa Misau (PDP, Bauchi Central),
Ahmed Ogembe (PDP, Kogi Central),
Attai Aidoko (PDP, Kogi East),
Barnabas Gemade (SDP, Benue North East),
Bob Effiong (APC, Akwa Ibom),
George Akume (APC, Benue North West).
David Mark (PDP, Benue South)
However, the casualty figure might further increase among the remaining senators, since not all of them have been declared winners in Saturday’s elections.
Consequently, while only about 40 of the serving senators will be among the elected 109 senators for the 9th Senate, most of the remaining 69 others will be first timers who will take some time to learn parliamentary practice.
In the 7th Senate, when a similar high turnover hit the Upper Chamber, the then Senate Leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba, who was among those who lost out, lamented that the high turnover was affecting the efficiency of the nation’s apex parliament.
