There is no doubt that Nigerians might witness more challenges as they prepare for the forthcoming general elections as more rot surely awaits them at the 9th Senate, especially with the crop of candidates jostling for seats in the upper chamber of parliament. Currently, former governors have taken the Senate as their haven after which most of them might have had woeful performance in the states they governed for eight years.
Already, no fewer than15 senators, who are former governors, are in the Eighth Senate. These former governors include the Senate President Bukola Saraki (Kwara, 2003-2011); Theodore Orji (Abia, 2007-2015); Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom, 2007-2015); George Akume (Benue, 1999-2007); Sam Egwu (Ebonyi, 1999-2007); Danjuma Goje (Gombe, 2003-2011); Joshua Dariye (Plateau, 1999-2007) and Jonah Jang (Plateau 2007-2015). Others are Bukar Abba Ibrahim (Yobe, 1999-2007); Ahmed Sani Yerima (Zamfara, 1999-2007); Rabiu Kwankwaso, (Kano, 1999-2003, 2011-2015); Adamu Aliero (Kebbi, 1999-2007); Abdullahi Adamu (Nasarawa, 1999-2007) and Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto, 2007-2015).
Meanwhile, two deputy governors – Eyinnaya Abaribe of Abia State and Biodun Olujimi of Ekiti State are also taking ‘asylum’ in the senate.
Analysts, however, have noticed that only a few of the former governors in the senate have been effective in their duties. Among the few ones are Messrs Orji and Akpabio who are believed to have sponsored a good number of bills.
Apart from this, former governors are believed to have shortchanged the country to the tune of billions of Naira in the last four years because of the double salaries they collect as senators and as former governors.
A political analyst, Babalola Usman, while speaking on the development, said the former governor had robbed the country of several billions of Naira that would have been used to cater to the needs of Nigerians.
“This is nothing but robbery. These people had robbed the country in several ways and they are still in the business. They have turned the senate to a dubious means to rob this country. Imagine the states that are shouting that they cannot pay N30,000 as minimum wage are paying the former governors not less than N2.5million each on a monthly basis. When you calculate this money, you will see that these lazy people had robbed this country of billions of Naira in their four years in The Senate whereas some of them have spent more than that there. I think Nigerians need to wake up and fight against all these,” he said.
Meanwhile, despite the cry that Nigeria is being robbed of billions of Naira by these former governors , several other outgoing governors are already bracing up to join the team.
Already, no fewer than seven governors are vying to join the red chamber in 2019. Among these outgoing governors are Abdul’aziz Yari of Zamfara State; Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State; Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State; Kashim Shettima of Borno; Tanko Al-Makura of Nasarawa State; Ibrahim Geidam of Yobe State and Rochas Okorocha of Imo State.
With this, Nigeria will be spending more billions of Naira as double salaries on the former governors in the next political dispensation.
Speaking on this development, a former governor of Cross River State, who is also the presidential candidate of Social Democratic Party, Donald Duke, said Nigeria Senate will not experience peace if the trend of former governors making The Senate their abode continues.
“The senate won’t find peace until former governors stop making it a retirement home,” he
said.
His reaction came as a senatorial candidate from Edo North, Erasmus Ikhide, said more problem is awaiting Nigeria of the trend continues in the 9th Senate. He added that salaries of the lawmakers should be balanced with that of the civil servants to make the chamber unattractive to the former governors.
“If the 9th senate will continue like this, then there will be crisis in this country. Imagine how much they have shortchanged the country and by then, how much they will shortchange the country. Meanwhile, governors are crying that they cannot pay N30, 000 as minimum wages. If this is not checkmated, these people will wreck this country in 2019, ” he said.
42 senators not returning to Red Chamber
Meanwhile, indications have emerged that 42 current serving senators will not return to the Red Chamber in 2019. Out of these senators, 19 voluntarily withdrew from the senatorial race while the remaining 23 actually bided for tickets but lost out due to various issues. It was further gathered that out of the 23 who bided, some were opposed by their state governors who did not want them to return to the upper legislative chambers. Meanwhile, 67 of the serving lawmakers in the 8th Senate will have to battle for the chance to return to the
9th Senate. Among the 42 affected senators are those who stepped down from the race on their own and those who were forced to step down following political crises within
their parties.
The 19 serving senators who voluntarily bowed out of the race or went for governorship race or for presidential primary elections are Senators Ahmed Sani (APC-Zamfara East), Bukar Abba Ibrahim (APC-Yobe East), Abu Ibrahim (APC-Katsina South), Abubakar Kyari (APC-Borno North ) and Kaka Gabbai (APC-Borno Central). In this batch, others include Senators Jonah Jang (PDP-Plateau North), Jeremiah Useni (PDP-Plateau South ), David Mark (PDP-Benue South), Philip Gyunka (PDP-Nasarawa North), Samuel Anyanwu (PDP-Imo East), Abdulaziz Murtala Nyako (ADC-Adamawa Central) and Usman Bayero Nafada (PDP-Gombe North). Also , in this category are Kabiru Marafa (APC-Zamfara Central), Shaaba Lafiagi (PDP-Kwara North), Isiaka Adeleke (PDP-Osun West), Sonny Ogborji (APC-Ebonyi Central), John Enoh (APC-Cross River Central), Gbolahan Dada (APC-Ogun West) and Hope Uzodinma (APC-Imo West). Out of the 23 who actually attempted, some were opposed by their state governors, who did not want them to return to the upper legislative chamber. A case at hand is that of Niger State where the governor, Sani Bello, has put in place a political machinery to ensure that two senators from the state, Senators Aliyu Sabi (Niger North) and David Umaru (Niger East), do not return to the Senate. Also included in the category of 23 serving senators who contested for return tickets but lost are Gbenga Ashafa (APC-Lagos East), Lanre Tejuoso (APC-Ogun Central), Fatima Raji Rasaki (APC-Ekiti Central), Sola Adeyeye (APC-Osun Central) and Babajide Omoworare (APC-Osun East). Others are Rilwan Akanbi (APC-Oyo South), Gilbert Nnaji (PDP-Enugu East), Emmanuel Paulker (PDP-Bayelsa Central), Fosta Ogola (PDP-Bayelsa South) and Ahmed Abubakar (APC-Adamawa South).
Also, Senators Rafiu Ibrahim (PDP-Kwara South), Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi (APC-Niger North), David Umoru (APC-Niger East) and Joshua Dariye (APC-Plateau Central), who is currently serving a jail term in Kuje Prison, Abuja, are included in this category. Sisty-seven of the serving lawmakers in the 8th Senate will actually battle it out to return to the
Senate.
