See The List Of Current Governors Who Failed To Win Senate Bids For The 2023 Elections
Current governors decide to pursue becoming senators as their next political goal in an effort to maintain their influence in national decision-making.
Although their position as governor largely enables them to accomplish this goal with ease, some of these governors haven’t been as fortunate over the years.
But for these governors, adopting the new Election Act, which calls for the use of technology to oversee the upcoming general elections in 2023, is no longer as simple as sliced bread because it has already begun to cause some casualties.
Atiku Bagudu
The incumbent two-term Kebbi State governor of the APC, failed to win the Kebbi Central Senatorial District election.
Bagudu who also serves as the Chairman of the APC Progressives Governors Forum, lost to the former state governor and now incumbent Senator of the district, Adamu Aliero.
Aliero polled 126,588 votes to defeat Baguduwo polled 92,389 votes.
Ben Ayade
The former senator and sitting two-term Cross River State governor under the APC, had his bid to return to the upper chamber truncated.
This was after Gov Ayade polled 56,595 votes to lose to the Cross River North senatorial election to incumbent, Jarigbe Agom-Jarigbe who polled 76,145 votes.
Darius Ishaku
Also soon to be completing his tenure on May 29, is two-term PDP governor of Taraba State who lost his senatorial bid to represent Taraba South Senatorial District.
Ishaku polled 45,708 votes to lose to the candidate of the APC, David Jimkuta, who polled 85,415 votes.
Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi
Also a member of the aggrieved G5 of the PDP, the Enugu governor failed in his bid to become senator representing Enugu North Senatorial District in the National Assembly.
The incumbent governor who also served two terms as governor, secured 46,948 votes to lose to Labour Party’s Okechukwu Ezea who polled 104,948 votes.
The outgoing governor was a member of the House of Representatives before becoming governor in 2015.
Okezie Ikpeazu
Another two-term governor, lost the Abia South senatorial election to the candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Enyinnaya Abaribe.
Abaribe amassed the highest number of votes in the election, with 49,903, to defeat his closest rival, who is the candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Chinedu Onyeizu, scored 43,903.
However, the incumbent governor who is the candidate of the PDP, disappointingly came a distant third with 28,422 votes.
Samuel Ortom
The Benue State governor whos is a prominent member of the aggrieve G5 governors of the PDP, lost the Benue North West Senatorial District election after losing to the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Titus Zam.
Despite being the sitting governor on his second term in office, Ortom polled 106,882 votes, to lose to his former Special Adviser on local government and chieftaincy affairs, Zam who polled 143,151, while Mark Gbillah of the Labour Party who polled 51,950 votes.
Zam occupied the position 2015 to 2019 before he resigned.
Simon Lalong
The sitting two-term Plateau State governor also doubles as the Director General of the APC Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) and was a former chairman of the Northern Governors’ Forum.
However, his revered positions weren’t enough to help him emerge victorious in his bid to represent the Plateau South Senatorial District in the National Assembly.
Lalong who polled 91,674 votes, lost the election to PDP’s Rtd AVM Bali Ninkap Napoleon who secured 148,844 votes.
