Politics
Ex-Governors And The Nineth Senate
One thing is becominga trend in the Nigerian political space. Governors after serving out their term, now see the Senate as their next destination.
In the Eight Senate (2015-2019), 15 former governors were elected senators.
The governors will maintain their grip in the Ninth Senate, as about 15 of them scaled through in the 2019 National Assembly election, and will join others to begin legislative activities, after President Muhammadu Buhari inaugurates the National Assembly in June.
They include: two ex-governors of Abia Orji Kalu and his successor, Theodore Orji, incumbent governor of Borno, Kashim Shettima, ex-governor of Ebonyi, Sam Egwu, ex-governor of Gombe State, Danjuma Goje, among others.
Opinion, is, however divided on whether the former governors will make a difference in the senate. Some commentators opined that the governors’ mission in the senate is to feather their political nest.
Others, however, said that the former governors would add value and quality to legislative debates because of their wealth of experience.
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ebonyi, Chief Egwu Chima, described the election of the former governors into the senate as a welcome development.
Chima, former Commissioner for Information and State Orientation in Ebonyi, said ex-governors would bring their wealth of experience to bear in the legislative activities in the senate.
Chima said that former governors who served creditably in their respective states deserved a chance to go and show-case their leadership prowess at the senate.
According to him, former governors have acquired enough experience that could be harnessed to advance the nation’s democracy through viable and qualitative representation.
He said: “The best way for any governor that has served for eight years is to go and take a seat in the senate.
” The work load and expectations of the people on you as a governor are completely absent, the person will have full time to carry out his legislative functions.
“If after serving as a governor and you retire to your house, you may decay fast, lose political relevance and may even die early.
“As a lawmaker, the ex-governors will be able to direct their focus to the nation with the experience that they have gathered over the years on how to build strong, united and virile democracy.
“I can tell you categorically that it is pertinent that former governors should go to senate after serving their states where their wealth of political, leadership and administrative experience will be utilised.”
He advised ex-governors who are senators-elect from the different political parties to carry their experiences from their various sections of the country into the larger Nigeria.
Prof. Jonah Onuoha of the Department of Political Science, University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN), who spoke on the issue, also see election of more former governors to senate as a welcome development and something that would boast legislative performance.
Onuoha who is also the Director, Institute of American Studies in the university, noted that the presence of more ex-governors who had acquired experience in governance would be an added advantage to the Ninth Senate.
“These governors have acquired experience and know the needs of the people.
“With their wealth of experience they are in a better position to sponsor bills that will address the needs of the people in their states since they have first hand information about them.
“Also with their connections as former governors they will use it to attract quality democracy dividends to their districts.
” To me, I see the election of more former governors into the Red Chamber as a welcome development, as well as a boost to the 9th Senate,” he said.
The director said he did not subscribe to opinion in some quarters that the senate had become a retirement home for former governors as well as a shelter to avoid harassment from the EFCC.
Prof. Aloysius Okolie, also of the Department of Political Science, University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN), however, held a contrary opinion.
He said that majority of these former governors were going to senate just to remain politically relevant and not to give quality representation to their people.
“These former governors are going to Senate just to remain politically relevant because some of them did not perform very well in their states, and that will not change in the Senate.
“Some of these governors in the 8th Senate did not sponsor any bill or done anything extra-ordinary,” he said.
The former Chairman, Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), UNN chapter, alleged that some of these former governors were rushing to the senate to avoid harassment from EFCC.
“Some of these governors are going to senate as retirement home as well as a shelter against the harassment of EFCC.
“Some of these governors were in government for eight years and could have allowed others to represent the district.
“They have piloted affairs of their states, any development they did not bring to their people as governors, I doubt if they can do that as senators,” he said.
In the same vein, Dr Paul Okorie, former Commissioner for Works, Housing and Transportation in Ebonyi, said that the former governors were driven by the desire to maintain their grip on the political space in their various states.
Okorie said that some of the former governors that served in the previous senate did not show enough political firework and quality representation, stressing that they were in the senate to feather their political nest.
He decried the development and urged ex-governors who were elected as senators to place the interest of the country and their constituencies above personal considerations.
“They should put the interest of the nation first, think more of their constituents and to remember first and foremost that their constituents are the people that elected them into the senate.
“They should bring their experience as former governors to bear in the legislative process and thereby advance our democracy,” Okorie said.
Chief Abia Onyike, a former Commissioner for Information in Ebonyi, said the new culture of going to the senate is a manifestation of former governors’ reluctance to leave office.
According to Abia, former Deputy National President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), governors wield enormous powers under the 1999 Constitution, while former President Olusegun Obasanjo once referred to them as ’emperors.’
“The new culture of going to the senate is a manifestation of their reluctance to leave office.
“It has nothing to do with qualitative contribution to law making. In advanced democracies, you decide the direction you want to follow, either law making or governance.
“That was why we saw people like Edward Kennedy, who spent over 32 years in the senate and was known as the ‘Lion of the Senate.’
“The new generation of governors in Nigeria engage in endless search for relevance after leaving office.
” They are never satisfied with the opportunities they had. The reason is that the areas they governed were glorified provinces, after the balkanisation of the old regions into miniature states and the challenges of governance have become more intractable.
“Many of them cannot satisfy the aspirations of the people, coupled with the powerful enemies they make while in office, they are constantly in need of a sanctuary, which some of them find in the senate,” he noted.
Ukoh is of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
Obike Ukoh
Oyo State Governor, ‘Seyi Makinde, has renamed The Polytechnic, Ibadan as Omololu Olunloyo Polytechnic, Ibadan, in honour of a late former governor of the State, Dr Omololu Olunloyo.
Dr Olunloyo, who died on April 6, 2025, was the pioneer Principal of the Polytechnic, Ibadan, while he also served as Governor of Oyo State between October 1 and December 31, 1983.
Governor Makinde made the announcement at the state interdenominational funeral service held yesterday in honour of the late former governor at the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, Liberty Road, Ibadan.
Governor Makinde said Dr Olunloyo lived an eventful life, adding that his attainment and personality could not be summarised in one sentence.
“He was not a man we could summarise in one sentence. He was a scholar, a statesman, a technocrat, a lover of culture and, above all, a man of deep conviction.
“While giving the exhortation, I was listening to Baba Archbishop Ayo Ladigbolu and he said in 1983, Baba became Governor of Oyo State. Though his time in office was brief, his election victory over a popular incumbent remains a powerful testament to the trust people gave him.
“I talked about preserving and digitising his library yesterday [Wednesday] as a mark of honour to Baba Olunloyo.
“Today, we will be giving Baba another honour to immortalise him. He was the first Principal of The Polytechnic, Ibadan; that institution will now be named Omololu Olunloyo Polytechnic, Ibadan.”
Earlier in his sermon, a retired Methodist Archbishop of Ilesa and Ibadan, Ayo Ladigbolu, described the late Olunloyo as a role model with intellectual inspiration and unassailable integrity.
The cleric said the deceased also demonstrated leadership in most superior quality during his lifetime.
In attendance were the state Deputy Governor, Chief Abdulraheem Bayo Lawal; wife of a former Military Governor of the old Oyo State, Chief (Mrs) Dupe Jemibewon; wife of a former Governor of Oyo State, Chief (Mrs) Mutiat Ladoja; former Deputy Governor and PDP Deputy National Chairman (South), Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja; and former Deputy Governor, Hazeem Gbolarumi.
Others were the member representing Ibadan North-East/South-East Federal Constituency, Hon Abass Adigun Agboworin; Chief of Staff to the Governor, Otunba Segun Ogunwuyi; Oyo State Exco members; Chairman of Oyo State Elders’ Council, Dr Saka Balogun; Chairman of All Local Government Chairmen in Oyo State, Hon Sikiru Sanda; President-General of the Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII), Chief Adeniyi Ajewole; religious leaders and family members, among other dignitaries.
Ten members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Working Committee (NWC) have countered the Acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, on the reinstatement of Senator Samuel Anyanwu as National Secretary.
The dissenting members, led by the Deputy National Chairman ( South), Taofeek Arapaja, in a joint statement, said no organ of the opposition party could overturn the decision of the 99th meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC).
The dissenting NWC members include Arapaja; Setonji Koshoedo, Deputy National Secretary; Okechukwu Obiechina-Daniel, National Auditor; Debo Ologunagba, National Publicity Secretary; Ologunagba; Woyengikuro Daniel, National Financial Secretary and Ahmed Yayari Mohammed, National Treasurer.
Others are Chief Ali Odefa, National Vice Chairman (South East); Emmanuel Ogidi, Caretaker Committee Chairman (South South); Mrs. Amina Darasimi D. Bryhm, National Woman Leader and Ajisafe Kamoru Toyese, National Vice Chairman (South West).
The group also insisted that contrary to the position of the acting National Chairman, the 100th NEC meeting of the party would be held on June 30 as earlier scheduled.
The statement read: “The attention of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been drawn to a press briefing by the acting National Chairman, Amb. Umar Damagum, today Wednesday, June 25, wherein he attempted to overturn the resolution of the 99th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting which scheduled the 100th NEC meeting for Monday, June 30.
“The acting National Chairman in the said press briefing also reportedly announced that Senator Samuel Anyanwu has been asked to resume as National Secretary of the party contrary to the resolution of the 99th NEC meeting, which referred all matters relating to the office of the National Secretary to the 100th NEC meeting.
“The pronouncements by the acting National Chairman have no foundation as no organ of the party (including the NWC), individual or group has the power to cancel, overrule, veto or vary the resolution of the National Executive Committee (NEC) under the Constitution of the PDP (as amended in 2017).
“For the avoidance of doubt, the NEC is the highest decision-making organ of the party, second only to the National Convention. By virtue of Section 31 (3) of the PDP Constitution, the resolution of the NEC to hold its 100th meeting on Monday June 30, is binding on all organs, officers, chapters and members of the party and no organ, group or individual can vary or veto this resolution of NEC.
“Furthermore, the claim by Damagum that Sen Anyanwu has been asked to resume office as the National Secretary of the party is, therefore, misleading being contrary to the resolution of NEC.
“In the light of the foregoing, the 100th NEC meeting as scheduled for Monday, June 30, has not been canceled or postponed.”
The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, has fired back at former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, following the latter’s scathing criticism of President Tinubu’s administration and his 2027 re-election prospects.
In an interview on live television, Mallam El-Rufai said it would take a “miracle” for President Tinubu to be re-elected in 2027, citing an internal poll that purportedly shows a 91 percent disapproval rating for the president across key regions in the country, including the South-East and the North. He also claimed that President Tinubu’s disapproval rating in Lagos stood at 78 percent.
Reacting on Wednesday via a post on X (formerly Twitter), Mr Onanuga took a swipe at the ex-governor, quoting a harsh assessment of Mallam El-Rufai’s character from former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s memoir, My Watch.
“Nasir’s penchant for reputation savaging is almost pathological,” Mr Onanuga wrote, citing Chief Obasanjo’s words. “Why does he do it? Very early in my interaction with him, I appreciated his talent. At the same time, I recognised his weaknesses; the worst being his inability to be loyal to anybody or any issue consistently for long, but only to Nasir El-Rufai.”
The presidential adviser emphasised Chief Obasanjo’s remarks that Mallam El-Rufai often tries to elevate himself by diminishing others. “He lied brazenly, which he did to me, against his colleagues and so-called friends,” Mr Onanuga continued, quoting the former President. “I have heard of how he ruthlessly savaged the reputation of his uncle, a man who, in an African setting, was like a foster father to him.”
Chief Obasanjo, who appointed Mallam El-Rufai as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory between 2003 and 2007, did not mince words in the memoir, describing Mallam El-Rufai as suffering from “small man syndrome.”
Mr Onanuga’s post is seen as a direct rebuttal to Mallam El-Rufai’s recent criticism and growing opposition role. The former governor is reportedly playing a central role in forming a new coalition to challenge President Tinubu in the 2027 general election.
In March 2025, El-Rufai officially dumped the All Progressives Congress (APC) and joined the Social Democratic Party (SDP), intensifying speculations about his 2027 political ambitions.
As the political rift deepens, Mallam El-Rufai remains one of the most vocal critics of the Tinubu administration, while Mr Onanuga and other presidential allies continue to push back against what they describe as “reckless” opposition rhetoric.