2019: Nine second term governors make a beeline for Nigerian Senate

As of now, there are 15 ex governors in the upper council of the National Get together - Investigators are concerned that the CEOs see the Senate as a retirement home There are signs that nine state governors finishing their residencies in 2019 possibly going to the Nigerian Senate. The governors are Rochas Okorocha of Imo, Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo, Kashim Shettima of Borno, Ibrahim Geidam of Yobe and Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara. The others are Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun, Tanko Al-Makura of Nasarawa, Abdulafatah Ahmed of Kwara and Rauf Aregbesola of Osun. 

The main second term senator who appear to have his eyes on a higher office is Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe, who is purportedly intending up to challenge for the administration under the People groups Law based Gathering (PDP) in 2019.

Although, out of the nine governors, only Okorocha, Ajimobi and Al-Makura have openly indicated interest in becoming senators, while others have kept their plans under wraps. Okorocha made known his intention last month, even though he had earlier stated that he would not run for any elective position in 2019, but would only be interested in who would succeed him after leaving office. 

“I have decided to run for the Imo West Senatorial District because if I don’t, bad people will take the position. If my name appears on the ballot paper as contesting for the Senate, it will boost the All Progressives Congress’ chances in the state. And many from my zone have said they will not contest if I am interested,” the governor said. Ajimobi had earlier represented his senatorial district between 2003 and 2007 on the platform of the Alliance for Democracy, and just like Okorocha, the Oyo state governor had also previously stated that he would not contest in any political position after his governorship tenure. But last month, he said he had changed his mind because he was being encouraged to return to the Senate by his party stakeholders. According to Punch, political pundits and social commentators, however, frowned at a situation whereby governors, upon the completion of their tenure, turn the Senate into a “retirement home.” 

“This phenomenon is not good for our democracy. Some of the governors already spent eight years in their states, so what’s the point of going to the National Assembly again?” asked the Executive Director of Gender Equality, Peace and Development Centre, Prof. (Mrs.) Patricia Donli. 

Donli, who is also a board member of ActionAid International and a former board chairperson, West Africa Network for Peace-building, said it was not surprising that the country was not developing because some of the governors only think of resting at the Senate after their tenure. Her words: “That’s why our democracy is not growing. Most of these governors, just like most of our political leaders, always think of themselves, not of the people. “Some of them didn’t do well as governors, so how can we expect such people to deliver for the nation at the National Assembly? If you couldn’t develop your state as a governor, how would you develop the nation? “Some of the governors just go to the National Assembly to rest. Some of them have never sponsored any progressive bill. When the camera is on them, you’ll see them sleeping while deliberations are going on. They have turned it to a place of retirement. “I pray these people would just retire quietly in their luxurious mansions, which they have used public funds to build if they have any conscience at all.” The don suggested that it was time the youths took charge of the political situation of the country and got rid of “recycled” leaders. “We need fresh blood in the National Assembly, those who are versatile and knowledgeable; such should contest for the National Assembly elections,” she said. A professor at the department of political science, University of Lagos, Akinboye Oladele, said lack of political sensitisation and education was mostly responsible for the recycling of leaders in the country. He also agreed with Donli, saying if more youths were politically conscious and engaged, they would be able to get rid of recycled leaders found in every political sphere of the country. However, he said it might not be easy, considering the monetisation of politics in the country. His words: “Ideally, anyone has the fundamental rights to contest for any elective position, but the people have the right of choice. The people determine who should represent them. What I have seen is that most of these governors would usually have amassed great wealth at their offices so that they could have enough money to throw around to fulfil their next ambitions. “And this is so because politics in this part of the world is plagued by money, hence, even if the people do not want them to represent them at the Senate, due to the instrumentality of money and financial resource, they manoeuvre their way there. And this has not augured well for our country. “People, especially the youths, should become more politically aware to know what’s required from someone who will represent them at the National Assembly. If we want to get rid or reduce the phenomenon of recycling leaders or those turning the National Assembly into a retirement home, we need enough political sensitisation and education. Unfortunately, this is not happening.” A Port Harcourt-based political scientist, Dr. Charles Ayibadiwori, said governors would keep turning the National Assembly into a place of rest “as long as they see it as a place to make unquestionable amount of money as allowances.” On her part, Lagos-based public affairs analyst, Ms Pearl Ozulanba, said the phenomenon whereby governors see the National Assembly as their next “abode” was due to the political structure in the country. She noted that the structure had allowed some politicians to arrogate so much power to themselves to the extent that some of them, including governors, take decisions on their successors without caring about who and what the people want. She said: “If you look at the problems we have in this country, these are problems that have been there for 10, 20 years, and they keep multiplying basically due to the problem of recycled leaders. The same person who has run a state poorly would still want to contest for the National Assembly. How can our nation then grow? “Truth is, a lot of people in the National Assembly are just representing themselves, not the people they claim to be representing. Those vying to be in the National Assembly should see it as a means of serving the people, and not as a means of enriching themselves.” There are 15 former governors in the Senate, including the Senate President and a former Kwara State governor, Dr. Bukola Saraki; former Kano State governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso; former Akwa Ibom State governor, Godswill Akpabio; former Plateau State governor, Jonah Jang; former Zamfara State governor, Ahmed Yerima; and a former Kebbi State governor, Adamu Aliero. There are also a number of former deputy governors in the Red Chamber, including Mrs Biodun Olujimi (Ekiti) and Enyinaya Abaribe (Abia).

Secondus made the exposure at the opening of PDP youth pioneers meeting in Abuja on Wednesday, Walk 14. He said that the program was intended to set up the adolescent to assume control political initiative in the nation. As per him, with the program, age boundary will be evacuated and a 25-year old that is well known and canny can be voted into control as senator.