During the February 23 presidential and National Assembly elections, a lot of politicians won seats to represent different senatorial districts for the first time. Though they are coming to the Senate as new comers, one thing is sure: all of them are coming with wealth of experiences in different spheres of human endeavour. Daily Trust on Sunday looks at them one after the other.
Ibrahim Yayaha Oloriegbe (Kwara Central)
Oloriegbe, though not new to politics, won the seat for Kwara Central Senatorial District for the first time, defeating Senate President Bukola Saraki.
A medical doctor like Saraki, Oloriegbe, an APC member, had contested for same seat in 2011 but lost to the former Kwara State governor. But this time around, luck shone on his as he defeated Saraki squarely.
Orji Uzor Kalu (Abia North)
Kalu became governor of Abia State in 1999 and spent eight years piloting the affairs of the state. Since 2007 when he left Abia Government House, he never occupied any elective office, though he made unsuccessful attempts to come to the Red Chamber ever since.
However, this time around, he won the seat for Abia North Senatorial District under APC, defeating the incumbent senator Mao Ohuabunwa of PDP.
Kashim Shettima (Borno Central)
Shettima will be completing his 8-year tenure as Borno State governor on May 29. From the Borno Government, Shettima will be moving straight to the Red Chamber for the first time in his political career.
Shettima got the APC ticket for Borno Central, currently occupied by Sen Baba Kaka Garbai, who had wanted to vie for the APC governorship ticket in the state.
Tanko Almakura (Nasarawa South)
Almakura, outgoing governor of Nasarawa State, will also be done with his 8-year tenure on May 29.
Like a few outgoing governors, Almakura will also be in the Senate for the first time to represent Nasarawa South Senatorial District after defeating Sen Suleiman Adokwe of PDP.
Ibrahim Geidam (Yobe East)
Geidam, one of the longest serving governors in Nigeria’s history, took the APC ticket for Yobe Central from Bukar Abba Ibrahim, who has been representing Yobe East Senatorial District since 2007.
After winning the election, Geidam will be coming to the Senate as a fresher as he has never been in the Red Chamber before now.
Rochas Okorocha (Imo West)
Okorocha, who has been governor of Imo State since 2011, will also be done with the Imo Government House on May 29.
Having defeated Jones Onyereri of the PDP to clinch the seat for Imo West Senatorial District, he will be joining some of his colleagues, ex-governors, in the Red Chamber for the first time.
Ibrahim Shekarau (Kano Central)
Shekarau became governor of Kano State in 2003 and served for two terms, ending in 2011 under the defunct ANPP. He was minister of education under Jonathan after his defection to PDP in 2013.
Shekarau joined the APC late last year and was given the party’s ticket for Kano Central where he defeated Aliyu Sani Madaki, the political godson of his political rival, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso. This will be Shekarau’s first legislative experience in the Senate.
Abubakar Shehu Tambuwal (Sokoto South)
Tambuwal, who is a former PDP chairman in Sokoto State, joined the APC late last year along with hundreds of his supporters.
He will be appearing in the Red Chamber for the first time after defeating incumbent Ibrahim Danbaba to clinch the seat for Sokoto South Senatorial District.
Dayo Adeyeye (Ekiti South)
Prince Dayo Adeyeye, a former minister of state during the administration of former president Goodluck Jonathan, was a chieftain of the PDP until last year when he joined APC.
After picking the APC ticket for Ekiti South, he faced the incumbent senator and Minority Leader Biodun Olujimi and defeated her during the February 23 poll.
Lola Ashiru (Kwara South)
Ashiru, a business tycoon, is not new to politics as he had contested for a number of offices in the past before finally defeating Rafiu Ibrahim of PDP for Kwara South Senatorial District. Ashiru who hails from Offa will be in the Senate for the first time.
Ifeanyi Ubah (Anambra South)
Ifeanyi Ubah, also a business tycoon, won his election under the Young Progressives Party (YPP) for Anambra South. He defeated Andy Ubah of the APC, who currently occupies the seat. This will be the face time his face will appear in the Red Chamber as a senator.
Christopher Ekpenyong (A/Ibom Northwest)
Ekpenyong, a former deputy governor of Akwa Ibom State under Victor Attah, defeated the immediate past governor of the state, Godswill Akpabio, to clinch the seat for Akwa Ibom North-West.
Like others above, he too will be appearing in the Senate for the first time.
Uba Sani (Kaduna Central)
Uba Sani, ex-political adviser to Kaduna State governor, Malam Ahmed Nasir el-Rufai, defeated Shehu Sani for Kaduna Central Senatorial seat.
Though he will be a first time senator, Uba Sani has held several appointments before now, including being a senior special assistant on public affairs to former president Olusegun Obasanjo.
Suleiman Abdu Kwari (Kaduna North)
Kwari, who was until recently the commissioner of finance in Kaduna State, won the seat for Kaduna North Senatorial District, defeating Suleiman Hunkuyi. Though not new to politics, Kwari will be new in the Senate during the 9th Assembly.
Ibrahim Hassan Hadeija (Jigawa North-East)
Hadeija is the current deputy governor of Jigawa State. A grassroots politician, who commands a lot of respect, Hadeija defeated the incumbent senator for Jigawa Northeast, Ubale Shittu, who defected to the PDP in October last year. He will be new also during the 9th Senate.
Binos Yero (Adamawa South)
Yero is not new to politics as he had contested for the Senate seat to represent Adamawa South Senatorial District in 2015 under the Peoples Movement of Nigeria (PDM) but lost to Ahmad MoAllayidi of APC at the time.
However, he joined the PDP, picked the Senate ticket and defeated MoAllayidi during the February 23 elections, and will be in the Senate for the first time.
Ishaku Cliff (Adamawa North)
Cliff of the PDP sprang a surprise when he beat Binta Masi Garba of APC, who was believed to have strong support base, to become a first time senator to represent Adamawa North Senatorial District during the 9th Senate.
Akon Eyakenyi (A/Ibom South)
Eyakenyi of PDP, who served as minister for lands, housing and urban development under the Jonathan administration, defeated the serving senator representing Akwa Ibom South Nelson Effiong, who contested under APC. She will be in the Senate for the first time.
Yakubu Oseni (Kogi Central)
Oseni, a banker-turned-politician, was the Executive Chairman of the Kogi State Internal Revenue Service. Having picked the APC ticket for Kogi Central, he defeated incumbent senator, Ahmed Ogembe, to clinch the seat. He will also be in the Senate as a first termer.
Ibrahim Mohammed Bomoi (Yobe South)
Bomoi has held various positions in the Yobe State and federal civil services, including being the director of treasury at the Federal Capital Territory Administration and acting permanent secretary in the ministry before his retirement.
He picked the APC ticket for Yobe South and defeated incumbent senator, Mohammed Hassan. He will be in the Senate for the first time in his political career.
Umar Sadiq (Kwara North)
Sadiq, who contested for Kwara North Senatorial seat under APC, defeated Zakari Mohammed of PDP, who is Saraki’s anointed candidate for the seat. Sadiq will be having his first experience as a senator from June.
Abba Moro (Benue South)
Moro was minister of interior until May 2015. He picked the PDP Senate ticket for Benue South from former Senate President David Mark, who decided not to recontest.
Moro, an Idoma man, defeated another Idoma man and a former deputy governor of Benue State, Steven Lawani. Moro will be a first term senator from June.
Kola Balogun (Oyo South)
Balogun, the PDP candidate for Oyo South, defeated the incumbent governor of the state, Abiola Ajimobi, to clinch the seat. A former commissioner in the state, Kola will be coming to the Senate for the first time in June.
Amos Bulus (Gombe South)
Bulus defeated the current Deputy Minority Whip of the House of Reps, Binta Bello, to clinch the seat for Gombe South under APC. He will be having his first legislative experience in June after being sworn in.
Mohammed Sani Musa (Niger East)
Musa took the APC ticket for Niger East, from serving senator, David Umaru, and defeated the PDP candidate that contested against him. Like others, he too will be a first time senator.
Bima Mohammed Enagi (Niger South)
Enagi, APC, defeated Shehu Baba Agaie of the PDP to clinch the seat for Niger South. He is a first time senator.
Nicholas Tofowomo (Ondo South)
Tofowomo of the PDP defeated incumbent senator, Yele Omogunwa of APC for Ondo South seat. A politician per excellence, Tofowomo will be a first time senator when he takes oath of office in June.
Kabir Barkiya (Katsina Central)
Barkiya, an engineer, is the former Managing Director of the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA). He took the APC ticket for Katsina Central from Sen Umaru Kurfi and won the election, defeating the PDP candidate, Hamisu Gambo Danlawan.
Bello Mandiya (Katsina South)
Mandiya was the Chief of Staff to the Katsina State governor, Aminu Bello Masari, before he contested for the APC ticket for Katsina South, following the decision by the serving senator, Abu Ibrahim, not to recontest.
Mandiya, an experienced politician who has been around for some time, defeated the PDP candidate Imam Shehu Inuwa with a wide margin to emerge winner.
Tolu Odebiyi (Ogun West)
Odebiyi was Chief of Staff to Governor Ibikunle Amosun before resigning his position to face the senatorial contest for Ogun West squarely. He won the election by edging out his PDP opponent Olusegun Gbeleyi.
Other senators-elect that will be going to the Red Chamber for the first time include Ajibola Bashiru (APC, Osun Central); Adenigba Fadahunsi (PDP, Osun East), Lere Oriolowo (APC, Osun West), Michael Ama Nnachi (PDP, Ebonyi South), Bayo Osinowo (APC, Lagos East), Ikra Ali Bilbis (APC, Zamfara Central), Adamu Bulkachuwa (APC, Bauchi North), Sandy Onor (PDP, C/River Central), Hezekiah Dimka (APC, Plateau Central), Biobarakuma Degi-Eremmenyo (APC, Bayelsa East),Lawrence Ewrudjiakpo (PDP, Bayelsa West)
There are also senators-elect who are either serving members of the House of Reps. They include Emmanuel Orker-Jev (PDP, Benue Northwest),Ezenwa Onyebuchi (PDP, Imo East), Barry Npigi (PDP, Rivers South-East), Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti Central), Halliru Dauda Jika (APC, Bauchi Central), Diri Douye (PDP, Bayelsa, Central), Betty Apiafi (PDP, Rivers West) and Istifanus Dung Gyang (PDP, Plateau North).
Former reps who now won Senate seats are Abdulaziz Yari (APC, Zamfara West), Gabriel Suswam (PDP, Benue North-East), Aishatu Dahiru (APC, Adamawa Central) and Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti Central). Godiya Akwashiki, who is a member of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly, will also be joining the Senate for in June for Nasarawa North under APC.
Some senators-elect had also served as senators in the past. They include Teslim Folarin (APC, Oyo Central), Saidu Ahmed Alkali (APC, Gombe North), Danladi Sankara (APC, Jigawa North-West), Ibikunle Amosun (APC, Ogun Central), Olubunmi Adetunbi (APC, Ekiti North), Uche Ekwunife (PDP, Anambra Central), Chimaroke Nnamani (PDP, Enugu East) and Ayo Akinyelure (PDP, Ondo Central).
Daily Trust on Sunday understands that INEC conducted rerun in seven senatorial districts yesterday, which may alter the earlier declaration of winners in the affected senatorial districts.
