60 Senators, 249 Reps Bid National Assembly Farewell

No fewer than 309 out of the 469 members of the 8th National Assembly, which winds up today will not return to the 9th National Assembly billed for inauguration next week Tuesday.

This means that of the 469 member-National Assembly, only 160, who served in the 8th National Assembly, will make the 9th Assembly. This comprised 49 senators and 108 members of the House of Representatives.

The Senate has 109 members, while the House of Representatives has 360.

The affected lawmakers either failed to get return tickets at the primaries of their respective political parties that preceded the 2019 general election or lost at the main elections, which held between February and March this year.

However, eight out of 60 senators, who won’t participate in the 9th Assembly, went for governorship primaries and succeeded, but none of them won at the governorship elections that took place in March.

Some of the notable senators who will not be part of the next Assembly, include former President of the Senate, David Mark and the incumbent, Dr. Bukola Saraki. While Mark did not seek re-election after five terms, Saraki lost his re-election bid to the candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Other notable names in the 8th Senate, who will not make the 9th Senate, are Godswill Akpabio (APC, Akwa Ibom), Musa Rabiu Kwankwaso (PDP, Kano), Bukar Abba Ibrahim (APC, Yobe), Shaaba Lafiagi (PDP, Kwara), Jonah Jang (PDP, Plateau), Joshua Dariye (APC, Plateau), George Akume (APC, Benue) and Ahmed Yarima (Zamfara). All of them are former state governors.

Whereas others lost their respective return bids, Dariye, a former governor of Plateau State, did not contest the election as he is serving a 10-year jail term over corruption.

Other senators who lost at the National Assembly elections and would not return are Rafiu Ibrahim (PDP, Kwara South), Tayo Alasoadura (APC, Ondo Central), Yele Omogunwa (APC, Ondo South), Hope Uzodinma (APC, Imo) and Samuel Anyanwu (PDP, Imo).

The list also has Monsurat Sunmonu (ADC, Oyo Central), Rilwan Adesoji (ADP, Oyo South), Abiodun Olujimi (PDP, Ekiti South), Duro Faseyi (PDP, Ekiti North), Mao Ohuabunwa (PDP, Abia North), Ben Bruce (PDP Bayelsa), Andy Uba (APC, Anambra South), Victor Umeh (APGA, Anambra Central), and Sonni Ogbuoji (APC, Ebonyi South).

Others are Shittu Ubali (PDP, Jigawa North East), Shehu Sani (PRP, Kaduna Central), Mohammed Hassan (PDP, Yobe South), Binta Masi Garba (APC, Adamawa North), Hamman Isa Misau (PDP, Bauchi Central), Ahmed Ogembe (PDP, Kogi Central), Attai Aidoko (PDP, Kogi East), Barnabas Gemade (SDP, Benue North East) and David Umaru (APC, Niger East).

Also, a serving Zamfara APC senator – Tijani Yahaya Kaura (APC, Zamfara North), who was among the party’s candidates in the state, who recently lost their positions to their PDP counterparts, following the recent Supreme Court judgement that annulled the elections of the APC candidates in the national and state elections, makes up the list.

It will be recalled that before the May 23, 2019 Supreme Court judgement on the Zamfara State political imbroglio, the results of the February 2019 National Assembly elections held across the country showed that the APC led in the number of senatorial seats won, followed by the PDP.

The ruling party had 65 senators-elect; PDP, 41 and the Young Progressives Party (YPP) had one seat. The results of Imo North and Imo East senatorial districts are yet to be determined because of the controversy that erupted soon after the polls.

The incumbent senator representing Imo North, Benjamin Uwajumogu of the APC, who was not satisfied with the outcome of the election in his district, approached the court, requesting that the result be voided. The court granted his request and the case is still pending in court.

For Imo West, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had to withdraw the Certificate of Return it had earlier issued to the immediate past governor of the state, Rochas Okorocha, after the returning officer in the election, alleged that he declared Okorocha winner under duress.

With this development, the APC now has 62 senators-elect, PDP, 44 senators-elect and YPP, one senator-elect, meaning that the 9th Senate currently has a total of 107 senators-elect out of the 109-membership.

The 249 members of House of Representatives, who would not be returning to the 9th National Assembly, like their counterparts in the Senate, either lost out in the primaries, general election, failed to make higher offices they aspired for or won elections to the Senate.

Among members of the Green Chamber who are not returning include the Deputy Speaker of the House, Hon. Yussuff Lasun, who contested the APC governorship primary election in Osun State, but lost and did not contest the party’s House of Representatives primary election.

Others are Deputy Majority Whip, Pally Iriase, who did not contest the Edo State APC primary to return to the House; Deputy Minority Whip, Binta Bello; Emmanuel Orker Jev (PDP, Benue), who won a senatorial seat); Zakari Mohammed (PDP, Kwara) and Razak Atunwa (PDP, Kwara), who lost the state governorship election to the candidate of the APC.

Others are Betty Apiafi (PDP, Rivers) and Evelyn Oboro (PDP, Delta), who won senatorial seats in their respective states.

Equally not returning are seven out of the 18 APC Reps in Lagos State, who did not contest the election.

Other notable members, who will not be part of the 9th House, are Nnenna Ukeje (PDP, Abia), Dickson Tarkighir (APC, Benue), Hassan Saleh (PDP, Benue), Sunday Karimi (PDP, Kogi), Emmanuel Udende (APC, Benue), Chike Okafor (APC, Imo) and Emeka Ujam (PDP, Enugu).

Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari had issued a proclamation for the inauguration of the 9th National Assembly on Tuesday, 11th June, 2019 by 10a.m. prompt.

Ahead of the inauguration of the 9th National Assembly, New Telegraph learnt that the 162 federal lawmakers-elect on the platform of the PDP met with the national leadership of the party on Monday, to take decision on the position of the party on the leadership of both chambers.

The PDP has 44 Senators-elect in the Senate, where votes of 55 senators are required for election of either the president or deputy president. The party also has 118 House of Representatives members-elect, where votes of at least 181 members are required for election of the speaker or deputy speaker.

Sources close to the party told New Telegraph that the PDP lawmakers-elect meeting was to brainstorm and fashion out strategies on who to support among various aspirants contesting for presiding officers positions at both chambers.

Senators Ahmad Lawan (APC Yobe North), Ali Ndume (APC, Borno South) and Danjuma Goje (APC, Gombe Central) are in the race for the presidency of the 9th Senate.

It was also learnt that the PDP senators-elect would be meeting today and tomorrow to put finishing touches on their position concerning how they, as members of the main and virtually only opposition party will vote on the day of inauguration.

As at press time yesterday, it was not certain whether the PDP senators will vote for one of the candidates en bloc or whether they have resolved to vote independently for each of the contenders.

There have been insinuations that the PDP senators-elect are quietly supporting Goje, who has never made a public statement on whether or not he will contest for the presidency of 9th Senate on Tuesday.

However, senators-elect on the platform of the party, Peter Nwaoboshi (PDP, Delta North) and Abba Moro (PDP, Benue South), have already declared their support for Lawan.