THE BIG LOSERS
Top Northern politicians who lost their bids to be elected into the National Assembly.
From governors hoping to be elected senators to incumbent senators seeking a return to the National Assembly, several prominent politicians from the Northern part of the country were defeated in the just concluded February 25 national election.
Several prominent politicians were defeated in the just concluded National Assembly.
PREMIUM TIMES takes a look at those who have lost their bid.
*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).
Mr Gaya, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) scored 192,518 votes but that was not enough to beat Mr Kawu, who got 312,857 to emerge the representative of Kano South Senatorial district.
*Abubakar Bagudu*
The Kebbi State Governor, Abubakar Bagudu, lost to his estranged godfather and former governor of the state, 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.
Mr Bagudu was in the senate in 2008. Mr Aliero has been in the Senate since 2015.
When he learnt that Mr Bagudu would eye the Senatorial seat, Mr Aliero left the APC for PDP and has now won under the party.
*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.
Mr 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.
Former governor of Benue State, Gabriel Suswam.
Mr 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 greatest shock in Katsina State due to his popularity. Ahmad Babba-Kaita, the Katsina North senator of the PDP lost his reelection bid to Nasir Zangon-Daura of the APC.
Mr Babba-Kaita has a running battle with both 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 the fact 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.
Governor Samuel Ortom, governor of Benue state.
Governor Samuel Ortom, governor of Benue state.
Mr Zam polled 143,152 while Mr Ortom got 106,882.
What makes the contest exciting was that Mr Zam was a Special Adviser on Local Government Affairs to Mr Ortom from 2015 to 2018 but resigned when the governor decamped from the APC to the PDP.
*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.
Mr Lalong did not only fail in his bid to become the senator representing Plateau state, but his party also lost the state to Labour Party in the presidential election, despite him being the director general of the APC presidential campaign council.
*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.
Darius Ishaku, the governor of Taraba state.
Darius Ishaku, the governor of Taraba state.
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.
Mr Makura, who governed Nasarawa State for two terms, scored 76,813 votes and lost to Mohammed Onawo of the PDP, who scored 93,064 total votes.
