In a bid not to lose their relevance in decision making in the country, sitting governors make becoming senators their next political ambition.
Although the power of being a sitting governor largely helps them to achieve this ambition easily, few of such governors, over the years, haven’t been so lucky.
However, the adoption of the new Electoral Act which has the use of technology to prosecute the ongoing 2023 general elections, is no more as easy as sliced bread for these governors, as it has already started to claim 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.
READ MORE: Governor Ortom Loses Senatorial Seat To APC’s Titus Zam
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.
