The seventh Senate
which began May 29, 2011 is gradually coming to a close. The outgoing National
Assembly — the Senate and the House of Representatives — has been widely criticized over its dismal performance.
The Senate has yet to
pass the Petroleum Industry Bill, or any other significant bill. It has also
swept important investigations under the carpet.
PREMIUM TIMES reports:
The election for a
new set of lawmakers holds Saturday. Perhaps, indicative of the Senate’s
scorecard, less than half (only 53) of its 109 members will have a chance of
returning as they take part in the poll, having won their parties’ nominations.
Fifty six senators
lost out, meaning the earliest they can return to the Senate is 2019. In some
states, all three senators lost out. Examples are Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Edo,
Adamawa and Kebbi.
Having 53 incumbent
senators in Saturday’s election also implies that a fewer number will likely
return for a fresh term.
In all, these are
some of the biggest names that will not feature in Saturday’s election:
Victor
Ndoma-Egba (Cross River Central): Mr. Ndoma-Egba is the senate leader. He has been in
the senate since 2003. He lost the PDP ticket to Owan Enoh, the current
chairman, House of Representatives Appropriations committee.
Ita
Enang:
The eloquent senate chairman on rules and business, Ita Enang, will not be
returning to the senate after losing his ticket to Bassey Albert, a former
commissioner of finance in Akwa Ibom State. Mr. Enang, a member of the People’s
Democratic Party, PDP, represents Akwa Ibom North East senatorial district.
Esther
Nenadi Usman:
Mrs. Usman represents Kaduna South. The former finance minister lost her bid to
secure the PDP ticket, to a prominent business mogul, Danjuma Laah. Mr. Laah
had 129 votes while Mrs. Usman scored 123.
Uche
Chukwumerije:
The PDP representative of Abia North Senatorial District has been a senator
since 2003. The current Chairman of the Senate Committee on Education lost his
seat to a House of Representatives member, Mao Ohuabunwa.
Ayogu Eze: The representative
of Enugu North senatorial district is a member of the People’s Democratic
Party. Mr. Eze vied for the PDP governorship ticket and lost to a House of
Representatives member.
Helen
Esuene:
Mrs. Esuene, a former Environment Minister, represents Akwa-Ibom south
senatorial district. She lost the PDP ticket to Nelson Effiong, a former
speaker of the Akwa Ibom House of Assembly.
Odion
Ugbesia:
Mr. Ugbesia represents Edo central. He is best known as the sponsor of the
anti-gay bill. He lost his party nomination to the chairman of Upper Benue
River Basin Development Authority, Clifford Ordia.
Heineken Lokpobiri:
He was elected into the senate in 2007 to represent Bayelsa West constituency
on the PDP platform. He lost to former Chairman of the Bayelsa State
Scholarship Board, Foster Ogola.
To be sure, some of
the senators will not come back because they ditched their positions for
gubernatorial tickets.
Five senators picked
gubernatorial tickets on the platforms of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and
All Progressives Congress (APC) respectively.
They are Atiku
Bagudu(Kebbi, APC), Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta, PDP), Aisha Alhassan (Taraba, APC),
Pwajok Gyang (Plateau, PDP), Bindow Jibrilla (Adamawa, APC) and Benedict Ayade
(Cross River).
Other
Senators who lost their parties’ tickets include Ehigie Uzamere (Edo South),
Odion Ugbesia (Central), Odunsi Babalola Akin (Ogun West), Victor Lar (Plateau
South), Wilson Ake (Rivers West), Umar Dahiru (Sokoto South), Maccido Muhammad
(Sokoto North), and Aisha Hassan (Taraba North), will also not return.
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