Before 2011, it was uncommon for governors who have served for eight years in their states to aspire to the senate. Between 1999 and 2007, governors after serving their tenures simply moved on to something else. Most of the governors have now been forgotten. However, a handful of them have found their way into the senate between 2011 and 2019. But since 2011, it has become trendy for former governors to go to the senate.
This clearly points to the fact that it is apparently difficult for a Nigerian politician to return to normal professional life after tenure of office. It is in fact, difficult to mention any former Nigerian governor, who returned to his career after leaving office. Aside from the benefits of power, could it be that Nigerian politics is so destructive that those who successfully passed through it cannot fit into any other kind of professional life? Perhaps so good for anyone who has a foothold to let go?
In the Southeast, Anambra State remains the only state that has not sent any former governor to the senate since 1999. Dr. Chris Ngige was elected to the senate in 2011, after his failed bid to become governor in 2010. This was after his occupancy of Anambra Government House was declared illegal by the court. That event ushered in Peter Obi, this was in 2006. It is arguable if Dr. Chris Ngige can be rightfully regarded as a former governor under the circumstances. In the South-South region, Donald Duke of Cross River State comes to mind as one who has no such ambition. Duke to date has remained a model politician to many. He was elected Governor at 37 years, served for two terms and wanted to be president, but did not succeed. Former governor of that state Liyel Imoke was a former senator. The current governor Ben Ayade, was a former senator. In Edo State, Adams Oshiomole was governor for eight years, and then he became APC’s National Chairman. He apparently wants to go to the senate. The Current Rivers State Deputy Governor the past seven years been going to the senate.
Back to the Southeast. The former governor of Ebonyi State, Sam Egwu is in the senate. He has been there for at least eight years. The former Enugu state governor, Chimaroke Nnamani is in the senate and he is going back. Ugwuanyi the current governor is also going to the senate. In Abia State, the two former governors of the state; Orji Uzor Kalu who, like Donald Duke was governor in his thirties, but while Duke who built a model city in Calabar is not interested in going to senate, Kalu, who could not build a model city in Abia for eight years, is in the senate and going back. Theodor Orji is arguably one of the worst performed governors in Nigeria during his time; he is also in the senate.
To complete this cycle of incredible mendacity in Abia, Okezie Ikpeazu, the current governor is angling for the senate. In Imo, Rochas Okorocha the former governor of the state is in the senate. The current governor, Hope Uzodimma was in the senate. In the Southwest, Ibunkunle Amosun former Ogun state governor is the only governor of Southwestern State since 1999 that is in the senate now. In Northern Nigeria, no fewer than seven former governors are in the senate. Shekarau, former Kano governor, Wamakko former Sokoto governor, Goje former Gombe governor, Yari former Zamfara governor, Shettima former Borno governor and Almakura former Nasarawa governor. In Benue, Gabriel Suswan is in the senate. Current governor Samuel Ortom is going to the senate.
The point really is that it is exceedingly scandalous to see that most former governors who performed abysmally poor, are mainly the ones in the senate. Those who currently are judged poor performers like Ugwuanyi, Ortom and Ikpeazu, are the ones jostling to go to senate. Despite the tension created by years of directionless leadership which has formed the base for diverse levels of unrest across Nigeria, those who perfected this terrible condition against their own people are struggling to continue to recycle themselves and remain in the system after serving their tenures as governors. What possible great contributions can a governor who failed his state, make in the senate? This dangerous trend of failed governors retiring in the senate will only serve to render the Nigerian senate more profoundly redundant.
He is a Technical Assistant to Governor Willie Obiano’s Special Adviser on Legislative Matters, whoonce was a Special Adviser to a former Deputy Speaker of Anambra State House of Assembly. Ebuka is a second class upper division graduate of Political Science from University of Calabar, Calabar Nigeria and holds a Masters Degree in Political Science with specialization in Government and Development Studies, from Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka Nigeria
