Why 101 reps won’t return to NASS

Approximately 28 per cent of the 360 members of the House of Representatives would not return. writes on reasons the federal lawmakers would not go back to the Green Chambers of the National Assembly in 2019.

on Sunday

Going by the outcome of primaries by various political parties, especially the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the main opposition, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in the buildup to the 2019 general elections, at least 101 members of the House of Representatives would not return. They failed to secure the tickets of their parties. Some of them were denied return tickets by governors and other powerful forces in their states.

Findings by Daily Trust on Sunday showed that majority of the lawmakers were schemed out to pave way for aspirants who were in the good books of such governors. The NorthWest geopolitical zone leads the pack of those who are not returning to the Green Chamber in 2019, with 26 lawmakers, followed by South-West, 23; NorthCentral, 22; North-East, 13; South-South, 11, and SouthEast, 6.

A further breakdown showed that Kaduna and Zamfara states have seven lawmakers each, who did not secure return tickets.

In Kaduna, Adams Jagaba; Muhammad Soba; Sunday Marshal; Muhammed Abubakar; Yusuf Bala; Mohammed Usman and Lawal Rabiu are highly likely not to return in 2019.

While Jagaba lost the PDP ticket in Kaduna South, Katung was picked as running mate to the party’s governorship candidate, Isa Ashiru.

Recall that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has disqualified the APC in Zamfara State from fielding candidates for the 2019 elections, including the seven seats in the House of Representatives.

The electoral body said Zamfara APC failed to conduct its primary elections within the stipulated time, based on Sections 31 and 87 of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended).

Although the APC national publicity secretary, Mr. Lanre Isa-Onilu, has repeatedly denied the charge, both the Federal High Court in Gusau and the Zamfara State High Court, are yet to decide on pending matters related to the APC primary in the state.

In Kano, Aliyu Madaki, Bashir Baballe, Mukthari Chiromawa and Nasiru Ahmed are not returning. Aliyu Sani and Ibrahim Muritala from Katsina also lost their APC tickets, just like Salisu Koko and Umar Farouk from Kebbi. Both Muritala and Koko have since dumped the APC for other parties.

Jigawa State has Sani Zoro, Rabiu Kaugama and Mohammed Boyi as lawmakers that may not return. Few weeks ago, Kauguma left the PDP for the Social Democratic Party (SDP). In Sokoto, Muhammed Bashir also lost his APC ticket and has since rejoined the PDP.

Among the 24 federal lawmakers in Lagos State, six are not returning to the House of Representatives in 2019. These include Tony Nwulu, Adaranijo Abiodun, Joseph Adebayo, Bamgbose Joseph and Diya Babafemi. Apart from Nwulu, who is the United People’s Party (UPP) governorship candidate in Imo, the other five failed to secure APC tickets.

In Ogun and Ondo, five lawmakers each may not return. In Ogun are Olusegun Williams, Kehinde Olusegun, Mukaila Kazzim, Adekunle Akinlade, and Adebutu Oladipupo. Akinlade and Adebutu are APM and PDP gover=norship respectively.

In Ondo, Babatunde Kolawole, Baderinwa Samson, Akinfolarin Mayowa, Stephen Friday, and Joseph Akinlaja, have all changed parties after losing tickets.

The Oyo State APC could also not give return tickets to Ayoade Ojoawo, Oladele George, Olatoye Sugar, and Abiodun Awoleye, who have all moved to other parties, with a likelihood of not returning in 2019.

In Osun and Ekiti, Yusuf Lasun and Olamide Johnson respectively will miss the House in 2019.

Benue State has five of the 11 reps that are not returning in 2019. These are Emmanuel Orker-Jev, Dickson Tackighir, Hassan Saleh, Emmanuel Udende and Ezekiel Adaji. Except Orker-Jev, who is PDP’s senatorial candidate in the state, others lost their respective return tickets.

After defeat by Dino Melaye for the PDP senatorial ticket for Kogi West, Sunday Karimi from Kogi will also not return to the House in 2019. Muhammed Ajana also lost his APC ticket.

From Kwara, Amuda Kanike did not contest the primary while Razak Atunwa and Zakari Mohammed are seeking for governorship and Senate seats respectively. Just as Atunwa, David Ombugadu and Mohammed Onawo are flying PDP’s joint governorship ticket in candidates Nasarawa. Jaafar Ibrahim, also from Nasarawa, lost his bid to clinch the APC governorship ticket.

In Niger State, Faruk Muhammadu, Saleh Shehu, and Ahmed Abu failed to secure return tickets, just as Chika Adamu voluntarily chose not to seek re-election.

Meanwhile, Edward Pwajok, chairman, House Committee on Rules and Business, contested and lost the APC senatorial primary for Plateau North. Istifanus Gyang is flying the PDP ticket for Plateau North. Suleiman Yahaya-Kwande lost out in his bid to return for the third term in the House of Representatives.

In the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), both Zephaniah Jisalo and Zakari Angulu contested and lost the PDP senatorial primary to the incumbent Philip Aduda. Both are not coming back to the House in 2019.

In Adamawa, Shuaibu Abdulrahman and Abubakar Lawal lost APC return tickets while Adamu Kamale contested for the Senate and lost. Shehu Aliyu and Adamu Gurai from Bauchi also lost their tickets, whereas Haliru Jika clinched the APC senatorial ticket to challenge incumbent Senator Isa Misau of the PDP.

In Borno, Asabe Vilita, Muhammed Sheriff and Ayuba Bello are highly likely not to return in 2019 for failing to secure the APC tickets. While Binta Bello clinched the PDP ticket for Gombe South senatorial district, Samaila Kashena lost out in the primary.

In Taraba, Ibrahim Malle, said to have lost a return ticket, eventually had his name submitted to the INEC by the APC. The matter is still in court and the lawmaker’s line was off when Daily Trust on Sunday called to confirm. But in Yobe, Ismail Gadaka failed to secure a return ticket for 2019.

For Edo, Pally Iriase voluntarily opted out, while Sodagumo Omoni lost the PDP primary in Bayelsa. Samuel Ikon and Owoidighe Ekpoatai from Akwaibom will also not return to the House in 2019, having lost their tickets.

Delta State has Joan Mrakpor, Idisi Lovette, Daniel Reyanju and Evelyn Oboro as lawmakers that will miss the House in 2019. While the first three lost their tickets, Oboro clinched a PDP senatorial ticket in the state. Like Oboro, Betty Apiafi from Rivers State also won a PDP senatorial ticket while her counterpart, Chidi Frank, failed to secure APC ticket.

A notable exception is Cross River State where all the eight incumbent PDP Rep members were given automatic return tickets for 2019, on the orders of Governor Ben Ayade.

In Anambra State, Gabriel Onyenwife lost the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) ticket and may likely miss actions in Daily Trust the House in 2019. For losing PDP tickets in Enugu, both Chukwuemeka Ujam and former Governor Sullivan Chime’s cousin, Chime Oji, will not return in 2019.

Abia has Nnenna Ukeje; Ebonyi, Linus Okorie; and Imo, Austine Chukwukere as lawmakers who will not return to the House in 2019, on account of losing their return tickets.

Also worth noting is that five out of the 15 female lawmakers in the House of Representatives are not returning in 2019.

However, not all those that will not return to the House in 2019 were denied return tickets. While some opted out voluntarily, others chose to aspire to higher political positions.

For instance, before the primaries, the Deputy House Majority Whip, Pally Iriase (APC, Edo), Chika Adamu (APC, Niger) and Bashir Babale (APC, Kano), had signalled their intentions not to seek re-election in 2019.

This is just as Razaq Atunwa (PDP, Kwara), David Ombugadu (PDP, Nasarawa) and Adekunle Akinlade (APM, Ogun) emerged governorship candidates of their parties in Kwara, Nasarawa and Ogun respectively.

The House Deputy Minority Whip, Binta Bello (PDP, Gombe), Emmanuel Orker-Jev (PDP, Benue), Zakari Mohammed (PDP, Kwara), Betty Apiafi (PDP, Rivers), Evelyn Oboro (PDP, Delta) and Aliyu Madaki (PDP, Kano), have also secured senatorial tickets of their parties in their respective states.

After losing the Osun State governorship primary election to the incumbent Governor Ggoyega Oyetola, Deputy Speaker Yusuf Lasun (APC, Osun), also chose to step aside.

Daily Trust on Sunday gathered that seven out of the 70 aggrieved APC lawmakers who petitioned the party’s appeal panel to seek redress, eventually had their names submitted to the INEC. These include Kayode Oladele and Isiaka Ibrahim (Ogun), Baderinwa Samson and Mayowa Akinfolarin (Ondo), Goodluck Opia (Imo), Abdullahi Lado (Niger) and Aminu Malle (Taraba).