Culled from The Nation.
The Senate is turning into a resting haven for governors who want to sustain their relevance in the polity. The list of ex-governors in the Upper Chamber increases at every dispensation. Ahead of 2015, some governors who are serving their second term have declared their intention to contest the senatorial election. This development, Assistant Editor LEKE SALAUDEEN writes, has pitched them against serving senators in their constituencies and, by extension, against some political blocs.
Next year, many governors will complete their two terms of eight years in office. They are not contemplating retirement from politics. Some of them are already jostling for the senatorial tickets in their districts.
Governors who want to become senators include Martins Elechi (Ebonyi), Theodore Orji (Abia) Sullivan Chime (Enugu), Jonah Jang (Plateau), Babangida Aliyu (Niger), Gabriel Suswam (Benue) and Sule Lamido (Jigawa).
Aliyu
The ebullient and outspoken Governor Babangida Aliyu of Niger State initially thought of contesting the Presidency. The retired Federal Permanent Secretary from Niger East Senatorial District and Chairman of the Northern Governors Forum stirred controversy when he declared his presidential ambition on a radio programme last year. He told listeners that President Goodluck Jonathan signed an agreement with PDP governors from the North that he would serve one term, as a condition for endorsing his candidacy for the 2011 presidential election. The governor has not made public the purported agreement. He also failed to clarify whether the agreement is written or oral. The presidency has since denied the existence of such agreement.
Aliyu, a second term governor, seems to have dropped his presidential ambition since he declined defecting to the All Progressives Congress (APC), alongside six other governors of the defunct new PDP. He has reconciled with the PDP and President Jonathan. Sources said the unfolding events within the PDP may have made Aliyu to change his mind on his presidential ambition. He is now said to be eyeing the Senate.
It is going to be a battle of supremacy between him and Senator Dahiru Awaisu Kuta, who has so far spent seven years in the upper chamber. Kuta has vowed not to yield the seat to the governor, who is a member of the PDP like him. He said no political machinations by Governor Aliyu would frustrate him from seeking the mandate of his people to return to the Senate for the third time in 2015.
Kuta, who chairs the Senate Committee on Federal Character, said: “My people back my move to seek re-election for a third term. I will seek re-election under the PDP, even though Governor Babangida Aliyu has shown interest in the seat. I cannot be intimidated by anybody after being in politics for 32 years. There is nothing I have not seen. I have been in politics for long and for that, I cannot be intimidated by anybody not only in Niger but in this country.”
Lamido
Like his Niger State counterpart, Governor Sule Lamido of Jigawa may have put his presidential ambition in 2015 on hold. He was one of the G-7 governors, who battled Jonathan over the President’s yet-to-be-declared 2015 re-election bid. Lamido has, however, vowed not to leave the PDP under any circumstance. He was rumoured to be nursing presidential ambition for 2015, with former President Olusegun Obasanjo believed to be backing him for the plum job. In the height of his feud with President Jonathan, Obasanjo was in Dutse, the Jigawa State capital, to commission some of the projects completed by the governor. Obasanjo was then expected in Abuja on Democracy Day as a guest of the President.
Lamido was a member of the House of Representatives in the Second Republic and National Secretary of the defunct Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the Third Republic. On the return of democracy in 1999, Obasanjo appointed him Minister of Defence. Lamido is in his second term as governor of Jigawa. His tenure would lapse in May 2015.
Lamido has kept quiet over his presidential ambition since like Niger’s Aliyu he declined to defect to APC. Indeed, party sources say Lamido has decided to settle for the Jigawa Central Senatorial District seat in 2015.
Suswam
Another governor heading for the Senate is Governor Gabriel Suswam of Benue State. Being a young politician, Suswam, who would be completing his second term as governor in May next year, is scheming to continue his political career as a Senator representing the Benue North District. But Senator Barnabas Gemade, who currently occupies the seat, is not taking things lightly. Gemade is interested in a second term and he has made it clear that he is ready to fight to retain the sweat, even if it means dumping the PDP for the APC. However, sources say the party leadership is not ready for such high profile battle. Even at that, reconciling the duo sent a hard nut to crack for party elders. Gemade’s disposition is infuriating PDP elders who perceive him as being arrogant. But as the sitting governor, Suswam appears to have the upper hand.
Observers are not happy over the disagreement between Gemade and Suswam. The governor was in the House of Representatives when Gemade was the PDP national chairman. They have polarised the party in their senatorial district. For instance, the last local government election in the zone was bloody because of their bid to position their men at that tier of government. On several occasions, their supporters clashed, leaving sorrow and blood. Gemade’s supporters have accused the governor of mischief and conspiracy against his constituents. They accused him of disrespect on a party elder. But Suswam’s supporters have refuted the claim, saying it is only proper for the older generation to vacate the stage for younger ones. Suswam is one of President Jonathan’s loyalists in the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF), Northern State Governors Forum and PDP Governors Forum. He relocated to Abuja during the NGF crisis to protect Jonathan’s interest. Thus, it is not surprising that he has the backing of the President for his senatorial ambition. Political observers predict a tough senatorial shadow in the Benue North District.
Akpabio
The two-term Governor of Akwa Ibom , Chief Godswill Akpabio, was the first among his colleagues to declare his senatorial ambition in 2012. His plan sparked a row, with the insistence of serving Senator Alloy Etok that the seat was not vacant. Etok knew from the beginning that the governor was eying the senatorial ticket on completion of his second term in office in 2015. The conflict of interest has since degenerated into a crisis in Akwa Ibom between supporters of Akpabio and Etok, who is serving his second term in the Senate. Etok alleged that the governor planned to assassinate him over his ambition to seek re-election in 2015. To buttress his claim, the senator, who recalled the abduction of his wife and mother-in-law, alleged that he received “series of text messages from the Akpabio killer squad” threatening to assassinate him, if he insists on contesting the senatorial election in 2015.
But the governor dismissed the allegations as baseless, deceitful, and mere hallucinations that serve no purpose. Interestingly, Akpabio claimed to have manipulated Etok’s victory in 2007 against the winner of the PDP primaries.
It took the intervention of the security agencies, which probed the alleged planned assassination for the dust to settle.
Akpabio is the political leader of the state. He is popular among his people because of his developmental projects. Since he unfolded his plan, various groups have been holding endorsement rallies in his support. Traditional rulers are not left out.
His political profile is soaring because of his transformation of the state. Critics, describe Akpabio as a dictator. He was criticised for opposing the decision of the former Secretary to Government, Okon Umana, to run for governor. They say it is unfair, unjust and unkind for Akpabio to object to the ambition of Umana who worked assiduously for the success of his administration.
Wamakko
Governor Aliyu Wamakko of Sokoto State will complete his second term in office in May 2015. He was deputy governor on the platform of the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), but defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2007 and became its governorship candidate. The PDP governorship candidate then, Alhaji Mukthar Shagari, was persuaded by Obasanjo to step down for Wamakko. The governor was among the five PDP governors who were pushing for reforms in the party. They defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) when PDP leadership refused to accede to their demands.
Wamakko is popular in the Northwest. His popularity was put to test when he was suspended from PDP last year. The party leadership in the zone stood by him. Party chieftains including the Northwest zonal leader, Alhaji Ibrahim Kazaure, and House of Representatives Speaker, Aminu Tambuwal attended the solidarity rally held for him on his return from abroad. The party leadership realised the negative impact of his suspension and reversed its decision. Sources say Wamakko is scheming to take over the senatorial seat of Senator Maccido.
Imoke
There are speculations that Governor Liyel Imoke of Cross River State may contest for the Cross River Central Senatorial District seat in 2015. The speculations have fuelled a subtle squabble between the aides and associates of the governor and the senator representing the district, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, who is the leader of the Senate.
The decision of Ndoma-Egba, who used to be a close associate of Governor Imoke, to vie for a fourth term, has led to acrimony between his camp and that of the governor. Those plotting against Ndoma-Egba’s return argue that after spending 12 years in the Senate, he should quit and allow others with fresh ideas to represent the people.
Despite the disagreement, Imoke, who represented the district between 1992 and 1993, could easily return to the Senate without serious opposition from his party.
Uduaghan
Initially, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan, who would complete his second term as governor of Delta State in 2015 was planning to retire from politics and go back to his medical practice. But that is no longer the case. The governor, according to sources, has caved in to pressure from his associates to continue his political career in the Senate. Consequently, he is planning to contest the Delta South Senatorial seat in 2015. Uduaghan may get a free ticket to the Senate because the incumbent senator, James Manager, having spent three terms, would be willing to step down for him. Stepping aside for the governor would be in line with the convention that each of the three major tribes in the senatorial district, Itsekiri, Isoko and Ijaw would take the seat one after the other. So, unlike his colleagues, moving to the Senate is a smooth sail for Uduaghan.
Chime
What promises to be the most contentious battle is the struggle between the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu and Governor Sullivan Chime of Enugu State for the Enugu West Senatorial District ticket.
The duo are now embroiled in a battle of wit. There are no pretences that Chime wants to go to the Senate at the expiration of his tenure in 2015. It is no news that Ekweremadu and Chime are at each other’s throat. The battle is so fierce that the governor sometime last year embargoed another term for all Enugu people in the National Assembly.
But Chime is not having a smooth sail. He was promptly challenged not only by Ekweremadu, but by some other party leaders. They told Chime that he lacks the constitutional powers to deny any member the right to contest election if the person wishes.
Jang
The Plateau State Governor, David Jang, is said to be interested in representing the Plateau North Senatorial District on completion of his second term as governor in 2015. Jang perfected a smooth entry into the Senate when he sponsored his former Chief of Staff, Mr Gyang Pwajok for the position last year, following the death of Senator Gyang Dan Tong. Observers say Pwajok is holding the position in trust for Jang. His tenure in the last seven years has witnessed several ethno-religious crises, in which lives and property were lost.
Jang is at the centre of the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) crisis. He lost the chairmanship election with 16 votes to Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi, who got 19 votes. Yet, Jang with the support of the Presidency claimed that he won.
- KAI...UNA NO DEY SHAME. YEYE PEOPLE.
- AND SOME OF DIS FOOLISH GUYS DON ALREADY DO TWO TERMS AS GOVERNORS OOOO WITH NOTIN TO SHOW FOR IT....DEM JUST DEY WASTE AWA PEOPLE LIFE FOR NOTHING.
- UNA CHOP SOTAY DEY VOMIT FOR BODY, AND YET CANNOT STOP D CHOPPIES. NA DAT CHOP GO KILL UNA, BCOS IT IS NOT AS IF UNA DEY PERFORM FOR UNA PEOPLE.
- WETTIN RESPECTABLE GOVERNOR GO WANT GO DO FOR SENATE AGAIN???
- COMMONSENSE TELLS ME DAT GOVERNORS OFFICE SHOULD ORDINARILY BE HIGHER THAN SENATE.
- SOME OF UNA GO EVEN WAN RETURN AS GOVERNOR SEF OVER AND OVER AGAIN...LIKE AWA OGUN AND ANAMBRA FRIENDS...DANIEL (green snake) AND EZE-IFE (Ogunfe).
- DIS NA BABANLA 4UKERY....walahi.
- D TIN DEY SURPRISE ME O...MAKE MAN NO GET SELF-RESPECT AND DIGNITY.
- SHAME ON UNA.
- NEVER HAVE SO FEW OWED SO MUCH TO SO MANY....Only in Nigeria.
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