The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mahmood Yakubu, at a meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) on Saturday, said, “In last Saturday’s elections, winners have also been declared for 423 national legislative seats while supplementary polls will be held in 46 constituencies.
“In the Senate, 98 out of 109 seats have been declared. So far, seven political parties have won senatorial seats while in the House of Representatives, 325 out of 360 seats have been won by eight political parties.”
Several prominent politicians were defeated in the just concluded National Assembly; here’s a curation by Premium times for Northern Nigeria.
Kabiru Gaya
Kabiru Gaya’s 16 years reign in the Senate was ended by Kawu Sumaila, a former member of the House of Representatives of the new Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP).
Gaya, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, scored 192,518 votes. Still, more was needed to beat Kawu Sumaila, who got 312,857 to emerge as the representative of the Kano South Senatorial district.
Abubakar Bagudu
The Kebbi State Governor, Abubakar Bagudu, lost to his estranged godfather and former state governor, Adamu Aliero in the contest for who was to represent Kebbi Central Senatorial district in the 10th assembly.
Mr. Aliero got 126,588 votes, while the governor scored 92,389 votes. Bagudu was in the Senate in 2008. Mr. Aliero has been in the Senate since 2015.
Bala Ibn Na’Allah
Another popular senator who lost his reelection bid is Bala Ibn Na’Allah of the All Progressives Congress (APC). He lost to the PDP’s Garba Maidoki in the contest for the representative of Kebbi South District in the Senate.
Na’Allah got 70,785 while Mr. Maidoki polled 75,232 votes to clinch the seat.
Gabriel Suswam
Gabriel Suswam, the former Benue State governor, lost to Emmanuel Udende of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the contest to elect the senator for Benue North East Senatorial District.
Suswam, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) got 103,303 votes, while Mr Udende polled 141,405 to emerge victorious.
Ahmad Babba-Kaita
His loss is arguably the most significant shock in Katsina State due to his popularity. Ahmad Babba-Kaita, the PDP’s Katsina North senator, lost his reelection bid to Nasir Zangon-Daura of the APC.
Mr Babba-Kaita has a running battle with President Muhammadu Buhari and Governor Aminu Masari, which led to his exit from the APC.
He scored 163,586, while Mr Zangon-Daura got total votes of 174,062.
Samuel Ortom
One of the most notable upsets in this election season is that the incumbent governor of Benue state, Samuel Ortom, lost his senatorial bid.
Mr Ortom, a PDP member, asked his supporters to vote for Peter Obi, the Labour Party presidential candidate, in protest against Atiku Abubakar (his party’s presidential candidate). But in the Benue North West contest, Mr Ortom was defeated by Titus Zam of the APC.
Simon Lalong
Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong, is one other influential politician who failed in his bid to switch to the national assembly.
Mr Lalong, who contested under the APC, scored 91,674 but was defeated by the PDP candidate, Napoleon Bali, who got 148,844.
Darius Ishaku
Another upset is how the incumbent governor of Taraba State failed in his bid to secure the Taraba South senatorial seat under the PDP.
He lost to David Jimkuta of the APC, who got 85,415 votes while Mr Ishaku polled 45,708.
Tanko Al Makura
Tanko Al Makura, the All Progressives Congress (APC) Senatorial contestant for Nasarawa South, failed in his bid to get reelected for the second time to the Senate.
