75 SENATORS MAY NOT RETURN IN 2015 About 75 senators, constituting over two-thirds of the Senate, may not return to the National Assembly at the end of next year’s general elections, according to a Daily Trust analysis of attrition rate in the legislature. The trend from 1999 to date shows that in each election, at least 75 senators lost their bids to return to the 109-member Senate. This was caused by various factors including falling out of favour with state governors, losing support of political parties, courting the fury of the voters and other reasons. According to Daily Trust, ahead of the 2015 elections, 25 senators have already indicated interest to run for governor in their respective states, thereby leaving an opening for new people to fill the slots they occupy. Another set of senators are likely to fall victims to the ambition of their home state governors who are ending their two terms and are angling to become senators. No fewer than 16 outgoing governors have indicated their intention to stand for election as senators next year. This will put the political future of serving senators from those senatorial districts in jeopardy. At present there are eight former governors in the Senate. Governors are powerful and they largely determine the order of things in their states. In a couple of states they will be pitted against powerful senators and the battle could be fierce. An analysis of the attrition rate in the upper chamber indicates that of the 109 senators, only about 30 or even fewer were returned in the last three elections in 2003, 2007 and 2011. In the present Senate, only Senate President David Mark and Chief Whip Bello Hayatu Gwarzo from Kano State remained from the 1999 class. Gwarzo was defeated in 2007 elections but was able to reclaim his seat through the courts more than one and half years into tenure of the Sixth Senate, our correspondent reports. In 2003, only 31 senators got re-elected and they include former Senate Presidents Adolphus Wabara and Ken Nnamani. Others were Iya Abubakar, Jonathan Zwingina, Udoma Udo Udoma, David Brigidi, Daniel Saror, David Mark, Patrick Osakwe, Oserhiemen Osunbor and Fidelis Okoro. Others are Francis Nzeribe, Ifeanyi Ararume, Ahmed Aruwa, Dalhatu Sarki Tafida, Tunde Ogbeha, Suleiman Ajadi, Tokunbo Afikuyomi, Abubakar Sodangi, Ibrahim Mantu, Martins Yellowe, John Azuta Mbata, Usman Albishir and Mamman Ali. Only Niger and Zamfara states re-elected all their three senators in 2003. They are Isa Mohammmed, Idris Kuta, Nuhu Aliyu (Niger), and Lawal Shuaibu, Saidu Dansadau and Mohammed Anka (Zamfara). In 2007, the attrition rate got worse as only 23 senators were returned, which represents less than 20 percent of the Senate. They included Uche Chukwumerije, Jibril Aminu, Bob Effiong, David Mark, Omar Hambagda, Gregory Ngaji, Patrick Osakwe, James Manager, Julius Ucha, Ike Ekweremadu and Tawar Wada. Others are Bello Hayatu Gwarzo, Kanti Bello, Mohammed Ahmed, Adeleke Mamora, Nuhu Aliyu, Gbenga Ogunniya, Abubakar Sodangi, Hosea Ehinlanwo, Iyiola Omisore, Lee Maeba and Umaru Dahiru. No single state returned all its three senators in 2007. However, in 2011, the number of returnees increased by 10, as 33 senators got re-elected. Among those who returned in the last election are Nkechi Nwogu, Uche Chukwumerije, and Eyinnaya Abaribe all from Abia State which makes Abia and Niger the only two states to have re-elected all their three senators in two consecutive elections from 1999 to date. Also on the list of 2011 returnees is Aloysious Etok from Akwa Ibom State who is already engrossed in a tussle over the Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial seat with Governor Godswill Akpabio, thereby putting his ambition of returning to the Senate in danger. The list also includes Emmanuel Paulker, Heineken Lokpobiri, Goerge Akume, David Mark, Maina Ma’aji Lawan, Victor Ndoma-Egba, James Manager, Ehigie Uzamere, Ayogu Eze, Ike Ekweremadu and Chris Anyanwu. Others are Abdulaziz Usman, Ahmed Makarfi,
Posted on: Mon, 24 Mar 2014 11:58:20 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015