The National Assembly is currently made up of 109 members. But, according to the list of candidates for the National Assembly election scheduled for February 2023 as released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on September 20, 2022, more than 50 of the lawmakers will definitely not return to their seats by June 2023 after the expiration of the 9th National Assembly.
Those whose names were not on the list and who will not return include members of the Senate aspiring to become governors of their states. Those who were not nominated by their political parties, especially those whose state governors are eyeing the Senate after completing two terms in office and wish to ‘retire’ in the Senate, as well as those who lost out to the internal bickering in the state chapters of their parties. About 58 senators fall into these three categories.
Senators that will not return include Ayo Akinyelure (Ondo Central); Nicholas Tofowomo (Ondo South); Tolu Odebiyi (Ogun West); Matthew Urhoghide (Edo South); Gershom Bassey (Cross River South); James Manager (Delta South); George Sekibo (Rivers East); Betty Apiafi (Rivers West); Albert Bassey (Akwa Ibom North East) and Chris Ekpenyong (Akwa Ibom North West).
The likes of Rochas Okorocha (Imo West); Hadejia Ibrahim (Jigawa North East); Sankara Abubakar (Jigawa North West); Mohammed Nakudu (Jigawa South West); Bello Mandiya (Katsina South); Barkiya Kabir (Katsina Central); Lawali Anka (Zamfara West); Danjumah La’ah (Kaduna South); Moses Cleopas (Bayelsa Central); Mohammed Bulkachuwa (Bauchi North) and Chukwuka Utazi (Enugu North) will also not return to the Senate.
Senators who won’t make it back to the Senate Chambers are also given as Ahmad Lawan, (Yobe North); Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun Central); Ajayi Boroffice (Ondo North); Rochas Okorocha (Imo West); Deputy Senate President Ovie Omo-Agege; Taraba Senator Emmanuel Bwacha; Kaduna Senator Uba San (Kaduna Central); Aishatu Dahiru of Adamawa; Teslim Folarin (Oyo North); Sandy Onor (Cross River Central).
Ahmad Lawan (Yobe North)
Nigeria’s Senate President, Ahmad Lawman’s hope of returning to the senate for a fifth consecutive term has been dashed. He has even accepted his fate as he said he will not be seeking re-election to the Senate after he agreed not to appeal a court ruling that nullified his candidacy.
The Federal High Court in Damaturu has recognised Bashir Machina as the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for Yobe North Senatorial District in the February 15, 2023 National Assembly election.
The court ordered the APC to transmit Machina’s name to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the candidate.
Although Machina had won the APC senatorial primary, Lawan tried to usurp the ticket after he lost the presidential primary of the ruling party in June this year.
But after the court’s pronouncement which dashed his hope of returning to the senate in June next year, Lawan announced his decision not to appeal the ruling in a statement he signed.
The President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, has said that he would not appeal the judgement delivered on Wednesday, September 28, 2022 by the Federal High Court, Damaturu, in Yobe State with respect to the forthcoming Yobe North Senatorial District elections.
Lawan said in a statement that he personally signed .Titled, ‘Court Judgement on Yobe North Senatorial District Candidacy,’ the statement reads: “Nigeria’s Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, will not be seeking re-election to the Senate after he agreed not to appeal a court ruling that nullified his candidacy.
“The said judgement disqualifies my candidature and therefore my participation in the elections.
“After due consultations with my political associates, supporters and well-wishers, I have decided not to appeal against the judgement. I accept the judgement.
“At this juncture, I deem it appropriate to thank His Excellency, Senator Ibrahim Gaidam for the leadership role in the APC political family in Yobe State. I also thank His Excellency, Governor Mai Mala Buni for the support and brotherhood.
“To my constituents, I thank you all for your unflinching support, loyalty and unreserved commitment to the course of building our people and Yobe North Senatorial District and indeed Yobe State.
“I want to assure you that I will continue to serve you in my personal and any other capacity at all times.
“We journeyed together for a long time and this journey will remain a lifelong journey. It has been a wonderful relationship and it can only get stronger. I am indebted to you all. Alhamdulillah.”
Ahmad Lawan came fourth with 152 votes in the June 2022 presidential primary of the ruling APC.
Born on January 12, 1959, Lawan has served as the Senate President since 2019. He represents the Yobe North Senatorial District in the Senate as a member of the APC.
He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Geography from the University of Maiduguri in 1984 and after university. He had his compulsory national service in Benue State before obtaining a Master’s degree in Remote Sensing from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and a Doctorate degree in Remote Sensing/GIS from Granfield University in 1990.
Lawan was first elected to the House of Representatives in 1999 to represent the Bade/Jakusko Constituency as a member of the All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP).
He was re-elected in 2003 before successfully running to become Yobe North Senator in 2007. After being re-elected in 2011, 2015 and 2019, Lawan was elected the new Senate President with 79 votes cast to beat Senator Ali Ndume with 28 votes after the inauguration of the 9th National Assembly in 2019. It was his second attempt at becoming Senate President, with a notable failed run in 2015.
Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun Central)
Amosun is currently representing Ogun Central Senatorial District in the National Assembly. He had his first term when in April 2003, he was elected to the senatorial seat of Ogun Central Senatorial District. He lost the Ogun governorship election of 2007 on the platform of the All Nigeria Peoples Party, (ANPP) platform, as he was defeated by Gbenga Daniel.
Amosun was the candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in the April 2011 Ogun governorship election. He won the election by polling 377,489 votes. Adetunji Olurin of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) polled 188,698 votes and Gboyega Isiaka of the PPN came third with 137,051 votes.
In 2015, Amosun contested for a second term as governor. On May 29, 2019 he handed over to another member from his political party, Dapo Abiodun after completing the constitutional maximum two terms of eight years as a governor. However, he was elected as the senator for the Ogun Central Senatorial District at the National Assembly the same year.
Amosun will not return to the Senate and he didn’t even aspire for it, having realised that he was not in good terms with Abiodun and the leadership of the party in Ogun.
Emmanuel Bwatcha (Taraba South)
Born in the Donga Local Government Area of Taraba State,Emmanuel Bwacha is currently representing Taraba South in the Senate He has an Education Diploma in Public Administration from the University of Calabar. A public servant, he served as Commissioner of Agriculture for Taraba State between 1999 and 2003 in the Jolly Nyame’s administration.
Bwacha was elected to the House of Representatives for the Donga / Ussa / Takum Constituency, serving from May 2003 to May 2007. He was Chairman of the House Committee on Police Affairs. In the April 2007 elections he lost his bid for the Senate seat.
He was elected to the Senate for Taraba South Senatorial District of Taraba State in the 2011 general election. He was elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP). He was re-elected under the same party in 2015. Bwacha was again declared the winner of 2019 general election inTaraba South Senatorial District.
Bwacha will not return to the Senate in 2023 because the governor of his state, Architect Darius Dickson Ishaku; who will round up his second term in May next year has taken the ticket for the district.
Emmanuel Yisa Orker-Jev (Benue North West)
Emmanuel Yisa Orker-Jev is the senator representing Benue North West in the Upper Legislative Chamber on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP). He defeated George Akume in the 2019 general election for the Benue North West Senatorial District by polling 157,726 votes to the Akume’s 115,422.
Orker-Jev hails from Benue State and attended NKST Primary School from 1970 to 1976 and proceeded to Bristow Secondary School to obtain his West African Senior Certificate (WASC). He proceeded to the University of Jos in 1985 to Study Law and graduated in 1988 before he proceeded to the Nigeria Law School and was called to the Nigerian bar in 1989.
Orker-Jev will not return to the senate next year as his state governor, Samuel Ortom has been given the ticket for Benue North West and he will carry the banner of the PDP in the February 2023 election.
Rochas Okorocha (Imo West)
Born on September 22,1962, Owelle Rochas Anayo Okorocha is the senator representing Imo West Senatorial District at the 9th National Assembly. He is also the former Governor of Imo State.
Okorocha defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) to run as an APGA governorship candidate in Imo in 2011.
On March 2, 2013, Rochas led a faction of the APGA to form the All Progressives Congress. He won the election as governor on the platform of the APC in 2015. He was later elected as Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum.
Towards the end of his tenure, Okorocha picked his son-in-law, Uche Nwosu, who was the Chief of Staff, as his candidate to run for the office of the governor under APC, but Uche Nwosu lost the party’s governorship ticket to Senator Hope Uzodinma.
Uche Nwosu defected to the Action Alliance (AA) party after his loss and became their governorship flagbearer. He contested the senatorial ticket for the 9th National Assembly representing Imo West Senatorial Zone during the 2019 National Assembly elections and won.
Okorocha was sworn in on June 13, 2019 by the Senate President, Ahmed Lawan.
Under the auspices of the All Progressive Congress (APC), he contested for the seat of presidency in 2015. He declared his interest in the presidency again under the same umbrella in 2023 but lost.
There has been no love lost between Okorocha and his successor and fellow party man, Hope Uzodinma. Little wonder, he will not return to the Senate next year after scoring zero votes at the APC Presidential Primary earlier this year.
Kola Balogun (Oyo South)
Mohammed Kola Balogun is a senator representing Oyo South Senatorial District in Oyo State. He defeated the then Governor of Oyo State, Abiola Ajimobi. in the 2019 general election.
Balogun had his primary education at Ratibu Muslim Primary School, Oluyoro, Ibadan. His secondary education was at St. Peters College, Abeokuta, Ogun State. He had his university degree at the North Texas State University, Denton, Texas.
H was out of favour with the incumbent governor of Oyo State and leader of his party in the state, Engr. Seyi Makinde. Makinde, has since replaced his candidature with his new ally, Chief Joseph Tegbe.
James Manager (Delta South)
James Manager is the senator representing Delta South Senatorial District of Delta State in the National Assembly . He became a Senator in 2003.
Manager was elected to the Senate on the Peoples Democratic ticket for the Delta South Senatorial District in 2003. He was appointed to the Works committee, Niger Delta committee and Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters committee.
Manager successfully ran for re-election as Delta South Senator on the PDP platform in the April 2011 election. He unsuccessfully sought to be the next governor of Delta State after Okowa and will not return to the Senate in 2023.
Ovie Omo-Agege, Delta Central
Obarisi Ovie Omo-Agege was born on August 3, 1963, a lawyer and politician who is currently the Deputy President of the Senate. He is senator representing the Delta Central Senatorial District at the Senate.
He was first elected in 2015 into the 8th senate. Omo-Agege is from the Orogun clan of the Urhobo ethnic group in Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State. He emerged the Deputy President of the Senate of the 9th National Assembly on June 11, 2019 after he defeated his rival, Ike Ekweremadu with a margin of 31 votes to win the second leadership position of the National Assembly.
Omo-Agege is the first senator from Delta State to emerge as Deputy Senate President.
Omo-Agege started out in politics by contesting for the ticket to be a representative at the Delta State House of Assembly under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, a ticket he lost in the party primaries. In 2003, former governor of Delta State, James Ibori appointed Omo-Agege as an executive assistant, a position he held for two years. He was later appointed as a commissioner for special duties by the governor. He ran for the office of the Governor of Delta State, but lost out at the Peoples Democratic Party’s primaries to Emmanuel Uduaghan. He was appointed as the Secretary to State Government of Delta State by Governor James Ibori in 2007. He ran for Senate in 2015 under the platform of the Labour Party. He was elected as a senator representing Delta central senatorial district on March 28, 2015.
He defected from the Labour Party to All Progressives Congress (APC) on March 7, 2017. He was re-elected as the senator representing Delta Central in 2019 general elections.
Omo-Agege will not return to the senate because he is the APC Governorship Candidate for Delta State and will be on the ballot for the March, 2023 election.
Bello Mandiya (Katsina South)
Bello Mandiya is the current senator for the Katsina South Senatorial district. He was the former chief of staff to the Katsina State governor, Aminu Bello Masari.
He attended the University of Lagos, Nigeria, from where he received his Bachelor degree in Mass Communication.
He had lost the senatorial ticket to the rivalry among the party leaders in his home state but despite rumour of him leaving the party, he has stayed put in the APC.
About the Author
AYO ESAN, has been actively reporting and analyzing political events for different newspapers for over 18 years. He has also successfully covered national and state elections in Nigeria since the inception of this democracy in 1999.
