10 Former/Incumbent Governors Who Won A Seat In The Senate

The Nigerian legislative framework is not complete without the place of the upper chamber. The red chamber,as it is also known, is the apex realm of the Nigerian legislative mechanism.

The Nigeria senate comprises of 109 senators, 3 representing each state of the Federation, while one represents the Federal Capital City, Abuja.

On the 23rd of February, Nigerians in their various senatorial district elected representative to represent them in the upper chamber.

Because of the numerous benefits inherent in being a member of the Senate, the contest for a seat in the house is almost a do or die affair. With the recent revelation that each senator gets a whopping sum of N13 million a month competition has increased.

One other trend noticed is that former governors now find the Nigeria senate attractive. Some Nigeria describes the efforts of former governors to win a seat in the Senate as a retirement plan.

Here is the list of former governors who won a seat in the Nigerian Senate.

1. Orji Theodore Ahamefule: He is a two-term governor of Abia State.  He started his two-term governorship career in 2007 and ended it on the 29th of May 2015. He was a former civil servant and served as the Chief of Staff to the former governor of the state, Mr. Kalu Orji Uzor. He got elected as a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria initially in 2015 to represent the people of Abia Central Senatorial District on the Platform of the People’s Democratic Party. He is going to the red- chambers for the second term.
2. Kalu Orji Uzor: Kalu Orji Uzor is also a two-term governor from 1999 to 2007. The businessman, who was a former member of the People Democratic Party, won his bid for the Nigeria Senate on the platform of the All Progressive Congress (APC). He will be representing Abia North Senatorial District.
3. Gabriel Torwua Suswam: Gabriel Suswam was a former governor of Benue State. He became governor on the platform of the People Democratic Party (PDP) in 2007 and was re-elected governor in 2011. He loss the senatorial election to Chief Barnabas Gemade of All Progressives Congress (APC). But in 2019, he won the Senatorial seat to represent Benue North East Senatorial District.
4. Kashim Ibrahim Shettima: He is a two-term governor f Borno State. he became governor in 2011 on the platform of the ANPP. He would be representing the people of the Borno Central at the Senate, an election he won as a member of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC).
5. Umaru Tanko Al-Makura: He won the governorship election in Nasarawa State on the platform of the now defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) in 2011 and won re-election in 2015. He is now in the APC. He will be representing the people of Nasarawa South Senatorial District.
6. Ibikunle Amosun: He was initially elected into the Nigerian Senate in April 2003 on the platform of the All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP) in Ogun State. He contested for the governorship seat in 2007 but failed. in 2011, he was elected governor of Ogun State on the Platform of the Action Congress of Nigeria. He was reelected in 2015. He will be representing the people of Ogun Central Senatorial District.
7. Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko: He won governorship election in Sokoto State in 2007. He won reelection bid in 2011. He will be representing the people of Sokoto North.
8. Ibrahim Gaidam: Gaidam was the deputy-governor-elect of Yobe State in 2007, he was sworn in as governor in January 2009 after his boss, late Mamman Bello Ali dead of Liver disease. he got re-elected in 2019 and has been governor since then. He will be representing the people of Yobe East Senatorial District.
9. Abdul’aziz Abubakar Yari: Yari was elected governor of Zamfara State in 2011 on the platform of the All Nigeria Peoples Party(ANPP), he got re-elected in 2015 on the platform of the All Progressive Congress (APC). He will be representing the people of Zamfara West.
10. Abdullahi Adamu: Adamu, 71 Became the governor of Nasarawa State in 1999 and won reelection in 2003. He is also a two term Senator of the state. He will be representing the people of Nasarawa West Senatorial District.

Rochas Okorocha of Imo State would have made this list but for his current issue with the Independent National Electorial Commission (INEC)