Governors Samuel Ortom of Benue State, Ben Ayade of Cross River and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu have lost their bids to represent their senatorial districts in the tenth Senate, according to official results announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Ten governors, who are serving out their second and final terms in office, contested the Saturday’s senatorial election to switch to the federal parliament, a place tagged as retirement home for state chief executives.
Since the beginning of the Fourth Republic, it has been a common practice among governors to retire to the National Assembly as senators after completing their second term.
Former governors, who are currently serving as senators, are Orji Uzor Kalu (Abia North), Theodore Orji (Abia Central), Gabriel Suswan (Benue North East), Kashim Shettima (Borno Central), Sam Egwu (Ebonyi North) and Chimaroke Nnamani (Enugu East).
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Others are Danjuma Goje (Gombe Central), Rochas Okorocha (Imo North), Ibrahim Shekarau (Kano Central), Ibrahim Gaya (Kano South), Adamu Aliero (Kebbi South), Tanko Al-Makura (Nasarawa North), Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun Central), Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto North), Ibrahim Gaidam (Yobe East) and Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa Central).
Three serving governors, David Umahi of Ebonyi State, his Niger State counterpart, Abubakar Sani Bello and Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State won the Saturday’s parliamentary election.
The results of the three others: Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi), Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto) and Simon Lalong (Plateau) are yet to be announced by the electoral body.
Ortom loses to ex-aide
Governor Ortom lost the senatorial election to the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Titus Zam.
Zam was a Special Adviser on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs to Ortom until the governor defected to Peoples Democratic Party in 2018
Zam polled 143,151 votes to defeat Ortom who scored 106,882 while Labour Party candidate, Mike Gbillah scored 51,950.
The returning officer, Professor Rufus Shato declared the candidate of APC, Titus Zam winner of the Senatorial election.
Incumbent Jarigbe trounces Ayade in C/River
Governor Ayade lost his bid to return to the Senate following his defeat by the incumbent senator representing Cross River North, Senator Jarigbe Agom-Jarigbe.
Ayade, who was in the Senate between 2011 and 2015, lost the National Assembly elections conducted on Saturday with 56,595 votes against Agom-Jarigbe of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who scored 76,145 votes.
The returning officer, Dr Emmanuel Emanghe, who spoke on behalf of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), announced the result for the polls around 3:05 a.m. on Monday.
Agom-Jarigbe, a two-time member of the House of Representatives, was elected into the Senate through a bye-election in September 2021 following the death of Dr Rose Okoh.
Similarly, Ayade, who is serving out his two terms as governor of the state, sought to replace Agom-Jarigbe as the senator representing the Northern senatorial district of Cross River.
However, the re-elected senator could not be issued with the Declaration Form after his declaration by the returning officer.
Upon demand for the Declaration Form, Agom-Jarigbe was told that it was mistakenly taken to Obudu by the electoral body in the state.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Prof. Gabriel Yomere, who spoke on phone, said: “The form was mistakenly taken to Obudu but he can be issued with a temporary one pending when the original one will be brought.”
LP’s Ezea defeats Ugwuanyi in Enugu
The Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared Chief Okechukwu Ezea of Labour Party (LP) winner of Saturday’s general election for the Enugu North Senatorial District.
The Returning Officer, Prof. Chukuemeka Ubaka, said Ezea scored a total of 104,492 votes to defeat his closest rival, Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, who scored 46,948.
He said that the APC candidate, Mr Simon Eze, came third with 6,816 votes.
Ishaku loses Taraba South senatorial election
Governor Darius Ishaku of Taraba State also lost the election for the Southern Senatorial District of Taraba State to David Jimkuta of the All progressives Congress (APC).
Declaring the results of the election on Monday in Wukari, the Independent National Electoral Commission Returning Officer for the election, Prof. Solomon Adeyeye, said Jimkuta scored 85,415 votes to defeat Gov. Darius of the PDP who polled 45,708 votes.
By Abdullateef Salau (Abuja), Hope Abah Emmanuel (Makurdi) and Eyo Charles (Calabar)
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