Who’s in and who’s out? Here are our top 10 Senators for August

It’s been six months after February 23 National Assembly election with 109 Senatorial seats occupied and Senators sworn in. The All Progressives Congress (APC) maintains a commanding lead in the upper legislative chamber with the inauguration of Benjamin Uwajumogu, and former Borno governor Kashim Shettima returning as a Senator representing Borno Central. In perspective, APC has 64 seats while the opposition party PDP holds on to 44 seats. It’s also worth mentioning that the Young Progressive Party has just a Senator representing its party in the ninth assembly.

Here are our top 10 Senators for August:

10. Ibrahim Oloriegbe

Dr. Oloriegbe of the All Progressives Congress stopped Former Senate President, Bukola Saraki from returning to the Senate, polling a total of 123,808 votes to defeat the former Kwara Governor who scored 68,994 votes in the February 23 2019 Senatorial elections held in the four local governments of Kwara Central Senatorial District.

The feat makes him a star to watch out for in the 9th Senate which is currently on a recess, especially as he has big shoes to fill.

9. Abdulfatai Buhar

The Senator representing Oyo North and a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) Abdulfatai Buhari emerged winner of the February 23 election held in his constituency, making him the first Senator to win election twice in Oyo North Senatorial District. A lot is expected on him giving the manner in which his constituents renewed his mandate.

8. Benjamin Uwajumogu

Senator Benjamin Uwajumogu was sworn in as Senator representing Imo North Senatorial District nearly 2 months after the inauguration of the 9th Senate.

His opponent in the February 23 election, Hon. Patrick Ndubueze, had claimed that the election was inconclusive. Uwajumogu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was however declared as winner of the Imo North Senatorial District election by the court and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) issued him a Certificate of Return on July 25, 2019.

7. Orji Uzor Kalu 

As a member of the APC and a newly-minted Senator, former governor of Abia, Orji Uzor Kalu had ambitiously declared his interest in running for Deputy Senate President, a position now occupied by Ovie Omo Agege. His stance was hinged on giving the South East a place in the National Assembly leadership. Although he later stepped down for the current occupant of the office, he was appointed Chief Whip of the upper legislative chamber by his party.

6. Teslim Kolawole Folarin

Folarin, erstwhile chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party dumped the party for the ruling All Progressives Congress in 2017.

Eight years after losing return ticket as a two-term senator and majority leader of the Senate between 2007-2011, Senator Teslim Kolawole Folarin won the Oyo Central Senatorial election held in February and is a major legislator to watch out for based on his experience in lawmaking.

5. Rochas Okorocha

Representing Imo West, APC’s Rochas Okorocha and former governor of Imo had his certificate initially withdrawn after the electoral umpire INEC said the issuing officer declared the result under duress after the February 23 elections. This caused a lot of controversy but the former Imo Governor emerged from that storm and is positioning himself as one of the vocal voices to watch out for in the red chamber.

4. Ifeanyi Ubah

Back in June, Ifeanyi Ubah emerged as the National Leader of the Young Progressive Party (YPP) and he’s currently the only senator representing the party. His constituency is Anambra-South. In spite of speculations that he was jumping ship for the ruling APC, during the campaign period leading to the election of the National Assembly Leadership, that Senator Ubah has been able to ward off this temptation in a Nigerian parliament is commendable.

3. Remi Tinubu

Oluremi Tinubu returns for the ninth Senate, one of the few female senators in the new Ahmed Lawal-led dispensation. One of the interesting peaks in her Senatorial journey was being part of the disciplinary committee interrogating Senator Elisha Abbo for beating up a woman in in an adult store.

2. Ike Ekweremadu

Three-time Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu was recently in the news when members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) attacked him while attending a forum in Germany. The decision of the Senator representing Enugu-West to re-contest for the office of Deputy Senate President in protest against Senator Ovie Omo-Agege’s nomination for the position in spite of his indictment in the National Assembly invasion of April 2018 is commendable.

1. Ahmed Lawan

After polling 79 votes to beat Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume, Yobe North Senator Ahmed Lawan emerged as president of the ninth senate back in June. Trying to inculcate transparency in his leadership, Ahmed revealed his monthly salary to be N750, 000, although this somewhat stirred conversations on other benefits that Senators don’t feel inclined to account for.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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