11 SENATORS PLOT EXIT FROM NATIONAL ASSEMBLY TO CHASE GOVERNORSHIP SEATS IN 2027
By Emeka Amaefula
Fresh signs of political movement are emerging within Nigeria’s National Assembly as the 2027 general elections approach, with several serving senators preparing to exit the Red Chamber to pursue governorship positions in their respective states. Reports indicate that at least 11 incumbent senators are considering or have signaled intentions to bid for state government houses, reflecting a broader trend where federal lawmakers leverage their national experience, political networks, and influence to transition into executive roles at the state level.
In Kano State, Deputy President of the Senate Barau Jibrin, a 66-year-old accountant and businessman born on June 19, 1959, in Kabo, Kano, who holds multiple advanced degrees including a PhD in Corporate Entrepreneurship and began his political career in 1999 as a member of the House of Representatives before entering the Senate in 2015, stands out as a prominent figure in the governorship race. Despite recent shifts, such as Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf’s party change to the All Progressives Congress, Jibrin’s strong grassroots support, built through years of empowerment initiatives, keeps him as a formidable contender.
Ogun State features Senator Solomon Adeola, known as Yayi, a 56-year-old chartered accountant born on August 10, 1969, in Lagos, who previously represented Lagos West in the Senate from 2015 to 2023 and chaired the House of Representatives Committee on Public Accounts from 2011 to 2015, as a leading aspirant. As chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, he holds significant sway in federal budgeting. Many APC leaders reportedly back him as a potential successor to Governor Dapo Abiodun, bolstered by his advocacy for power rotation to Ogun West, which has strengthened his appeal in that zone.
In Nasarawa State, Senator Aliyu Wadada, a 61-year-old politician born on October 15, 1964, in Keffi, Nasarawa, who previously served in the House of Representatives and switched from the APC to the Social Democratic Party in 2022 after a disputed primary, has openly declared his governorship ambition. His recent return to the APC is seen as a strategic move to consolidate support and position himself favorably for party primaries.
Kwara State presents a more complex scenario, where Senators Saliu Mustapha, a 53-year-old development consultant and philanthropist born on September 25, 1972, in Ilorin, Kwara, who entered the Senate in 2023 representing Kwara Central after serving as deputy national chairman of the Congress for Progressive Change from 2011 to 2013, and Suleiman Sadiq Umar, a 55-year-old public health expert and pharmacist born on June 8, 1970, in Kaiama, Kwara, who holds a master’s in public health and has focused on health policy in his Senate tenure since 2019, are both viewed as serious contenders. Observers note that zoning dynamics in the state will heavily influence who secures party nominations and broader backing.
Bauchi State could see a competitive showdown, with Senators Shehu Buba Umar, a 49-year-old first-term senator born on October 2, 1976, in Nabordo village, Toro Local Government Area of Bauchi, who chairs the Senate Committee on National Security and Intelligence, and Abdul Ahmed Ningi, a 65-year-old sociologist born on April 20, 1960, in Ningi, Bauchi, who earned his degree from Ahmadu Bello University in 1983 and has a long legislative career including serving as Deputy Majority Leader in the Senate from 2007 to 2011, tipped as potential rivals in a tight race for the governorship.
In Oyo State, Senator Abdulfatah Buhari, a 61-year-old businessman and former Customs officer born on November 12, 1965, in Ogbomoso, Oyo, who holds a PhD in public policy from the University of Abuja and has served three terms in the Senate since 2015 after an earlier stint in the House of Representatives from 2003 to 2007, has publicly stated he will not seek reelection to the Senate, instead channeling his efforts into his ambition to become governor.
Additional senators linked to governorship aspirations include Tahir Monguno in Borno State, a 60-year-old lawyer born on February 12, 1966, in Monguno, Borno, who was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1990 and served multiple terms in the House of Representatives from 2007 to 2023 before becoming Senate Chief Whip in 2023.
Barinada Mpigi in Rivers State, a 64-year-old educator and philanthropist born on June 21, 1961, in Koroma, Tai Local Government Area of Rivers, who holds a PhD in Educational Management from the University of Port Harcourt and previously served as a House of Representatives member from 2011 to 2019 and as Commissioner for Youth Affairs from 2007 to 2008.
These developments, alongside others, heighten anticipation for intense 2027 contests pitting seasoned federal legislators against entrenched state political actors.
——–Emeka Amaefula
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