2019 SENATORIAL ELECTION: HOW ARE THE MIGHTY FALLEN…
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Joseph Omoniyi
The 2019 general elections can be said to have witnessed a lot of dramatic turns in the political history of this country as big names and experienced ‘political monkeys’ were seen falling from the tree of the exclusive club, despite their skills and political power.
It was a shocking twist of events as these powerful figures who apeared like the almighty ‘untouchable-irokos’ got gripped and uprooted suddenly.
It is no longer news that not less than 24 incumbent senators lost their seats in the House of Assembly and that a governor could not ‘poll’ his way into the red chamber, but some names on this list appeared bold, underlined, in caplocks . It’s just like seeing your coursemates who appeared like the ‘maradonas’ and ‘messis’ during classes and after the exams, you out find their names on the carry-over list. Out of these losers, Senate President, Bukola Saraki’s remains one of the most schocking and unexpected, because of his level of control and influence over the years since he ventured into politics in 2003.
Senator Godswill Akpabio and Oyo StateGovernor, Abiola Ajimobi who served in the Senate from 2003 to 2007 representing Oyo South, is another uncommon defeat in the last Senatorial election held last Saturday.
Some of the other big names who also fell in the bid to join what is unarguably Nigeria’s big political big boys in the ‘red house’ are; Senator Victor Umeh, the former national chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA who came into the Senate late also lost his second term bid to Senator Uche Ekwunife who he replaced.
Senator Andy Uba’s bid to become Senate President was a campaign issue he sought to win over the electorate in Anambra South. Mao Ohuabunwa (PDP, Abia North), Rafiu Ibrahim (PDP, Kwara South), Nazif Gamawa (PDP, Bauchi) Tayo Alasoadura (APC, Ondo Central), Yele Omogunwa (Ondo South) and Suleiman Hunkuyi (PDP, Kaduna North). Other senators who lost out included Shittu Ubali (PDP, Jigawa North East), Shehu Sani (PRP, Kaduna Central), Mohammed Hassan (PDP, Yobe South) and Binta Masi Garba (APC, Adamawa North) and Nelson Effiong, APC, Akwa Ibom South. The losers also included Senators Hamman Isa Misau (PDP, Bauchi Central), Ahmed Ogembe (PDP, Kogi Central), Attai Aidoko (PDP, Kogi East), Barnabas Gemade (SDP, Benue North East), David Umaru (APC Niger East), Monsurat Sunmonu (ADC, Oyo Central), Rilwan Adesoji (ADP, Oyo South), Abiodun Olujimi (PDP, Ekiti South), Duro Faseyi (PDP, Ekiti North), While the jury is still out on the fate of Governor Rochas Okorocha following claims that the governor and his proxies coerced the returning officer to declare Okorocha as winner, the failure of a number of other high profile officers to win has also grabbed the attention of the public. Among the high profile candidates who failed to make it were Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, the immediate past governor of Delta State who for the second time in as many times failed to make it to the Senate. In 2015 he stepped away from the contest with Senator James Manager in the primary of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
Having defected to the All Progressives Congress, APC, Dr. Uduaghan got the ticket of the party a month or two after he joined but again fell to Senator Manager in the election declared yesterday.
Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe State who failing his failure to get the presidential ticket of the PDP resorted to the Gombe North Senate seat, but lost out to Alhaji Saidu Alkali.
Another big loser was Mr. Bala Bantex, the outgoing deputy governor of Kaduna State who was defeated by the incumbent Senator Danjuma Lah in the contest for Kaduna South Senatorial District.
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