The primaries are concluded for all parties across the states where elections are slated for 2023 – Imo, Ekiti, Bayelsa, Ondo, Edo, Anambra, Kogi and Osun states are exempt as elections in these states are held ‘off-season’. Angel Network News brings you the major contenders who will go head-to-head in the polls.
ENUGU
Peter Mbah, PDP: Once a completely unknown factor who preferred to work in the background – as he continually did with Senator Chimaroke Nnamani and incumbent governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi – the moment he threw his hat in the ring, his allies rallied around him, paving the way for his emergence. The CEO of Pinnacle Oil & Gas and former commissioner for finance (in the administration of Nnamani) dusted 8 other aspirants to emerge the party’s flag-bearer for the 2023 election.
Uche ‘Nwakaibeya’ Nnaji, APC: The APC’s plan to wrest power from the PDP in Enugu continued at the former’s guber primaries, where Nnaji emerged unopposed. Nnaji will face a stern test from Mbah (who hails from Enugu East Zone, just like him) and Nweke Jnr at the polls, which promise to be overly interesting.
Frank Nweke Jnr., APGA: Former minister of information & communication and director-general of the National Economic Summit Group (NESG), Frank Nweke Jnr., will be flying the APGA flag at the 2023 polls. Nweke polled 273 votes out of 555 votes cast during the exercise monitored by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to defeat his closest rival Chief Jeff Nnamani who polled 267 votes.
OYO
Seyi Makinde, PDP: Presently the party’s only governor in the southwest, Engineer Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, secured his re-election ticket in style, polling 1,040 votes to beat his challenger, Mr Hazeem Gbolarunmi, who had two votes. His sterling performance over the last 3-plus years and the power of incumbency could see him ride it out but the overwhelming horde of the APC breathing down his neck in the region and his state could see him bite the dust.
Teslim Folarin, APC: Despite the crisis threatening to overwhelm the party in the state, it rallied and produced a guber aspirant, to the admiration of many. The former Senate leader and current chairman of the Senate Committee on Local Content, who was the party’s flagbearer in the 2015 guber (but lost to late Abiola Ajimobi), defeated Bayo Adelabu, the party’s flagbearer in the 2019 race. He will seek to unseat Governor Seyi Makinde of the PDP. He polled 954 votes in the primary held at Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, Ibadan.
ADAMAWA
Ahmadu Fintiri, PDP: Although Fintiri won in 2019 to emerge governor, he would want to avoid a repeat of the 2019 drama which saw the election termed ‘inconclusive’ by INEC – because the number of cancelled votes was more than the margin between the winner and his closest challenger – and he had to wait to win the supplementary election. Sitting comfortable with the support of PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, Fintiri and his supporters will trust solely in the power of his incumbency against an APC candidate who could pack a lot of punch.
Aishatu Ahmad, APC: In an impressive primary election contest, Senator Aisha Dahiru Ahmed Binani, beat six male aspirants and political heavyweights – one of who is former presidential aspirant Nuhu Ribadu – to secure the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship ticket and set upwhat is now considered a solid face-off at the polls between her and the incumbent governor.
CROSS-RIVER
Bassey Otu, APC: For the veteran senator, Otu (Cross River South), it was more of a landslide victory as he polled 811 votes to defeat two other aspirants – Senator John Owan-Enoh (84 votes) and Chris Agara (63 votes) respectively. Otu, who has been at the National Assembly since 2003 when he was first elected as a member of the House of Representatives, moved to the ‘upper chamber’ in 2011.
Sandy Ono, PDP: After backto-back terms representing the people of Cross River Central in the Senate, Sandy Onor finally clinched the PDP’s flag-bearer for the 2023 guber in the state. Onor floored Gershom Bassey (Calabar South) 236-175, while Daniel Asuquo came third with 147 votes.
EBONYI
Uche Nwifuru, APC: While the PDP in the state is struggling to get its act together and forestall a total collapse, the Speaker of Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Uche Nwifuru, defeated four others to emerge the APC flagbearer for the election.
Professor Ben Odoh, APGA: Former secretary to Ebonyi State government and professor of geophysics, Prof Ben Odoh, joined the fray and will contest on the platform of the APGA come 2023.
AKWA IBOM
Umo Eno, PDP: Long touted to be the outgoing governor Emmanuel Udom’s preferred candidate, the former state commissioner for lands and water resources emerged top at the PDP primaries. His opponent in the APC is yet unknown, as the party is grappling with various crises and is unable to put its house to produce an aspirant for the guber polls
ABIA
Professor Uche Ikonne, PDP: The immediate-past vice-chancellor of the Abia State University breezed to victory in the party primaries and will be a man to beat for the APC and APGA in the state.
Uche Ogah, APC: Although two candidates – Ogah, the former Minister of State for Mines and Solid Mineral and Ikachi Emenike – emerged from the two factional primaries conducted in the state, Emennike was disqualified on the ground that he was suspended by the party at the time of the primaries and, thus, lacked the basis to contest. Ogah may be the APC trump card to assert itself in ‘God’s Own State.
Professor Greg Ibeh, APGA: Industrialist and Chancellor of Gregory University Uturu, Ibe emerged as the governorship candidate of the APGA, polling 283 out of the 482 total votes cast at the primaries held at the Kolping Society, Umuahia
BAUCHI
Sadique Abubakar, APC: Whatever Bala Mohammed’s agreement is with Kashim Mohammed, it will be a difficult task to dislodge the recently retired former Chief of Air Staff when the chickens come home to roost in the state’s 2023 guber polls. Abubakar bulldozed his way – defeating Senator Halliru Jika (Bauchi Central) in the process – to become a contender. His emergence has made things interesting, political observers agree.
Kashim Mohammed, PDP: Although he is considered a shadow for incumbent governor Bala Mohammed – if Mohammed, who is a presidential aspirant on the party’s ticket, falls at the last hurdle, Ibrahim will step down for him to do a second term – the former secretary to the Bauchi State government, recorded a resounding victory at the primaries.
KADUNA
Uba Sani, APC: Senator Uba Sani (Kaduna Central), who served as a special adviser on public affairs to President Olusegun Obasanjo and special adviser on political matters to the outgoing governor, Nasir el-Rufai, defeated two other aspirants to become the APC’s standard-bearer for the 2023 guber polls. Sani polled 1,149 votes, against Bashir Abubakar’s 37 and Sani Sha’aban’s 10, to clinch the governorship ticket.
Isa Ashiru Kudan, PDP: Former House of Representatives member, Isa Kudan made a statement of superiority when, for the second time (after doing so in 2015), he clinched the ticket of the PDP to contest the governorship election in Kaduna State come 2023. He defeated former NEMA boss Sani Sidi (260 votes), former governor Ramalan Yero (28 votes), Sani Abbas (15 votes), Haruna Sa’id Kajuru (11 votes) and Senator Shehu Sani (2 votes).
KWARA
Abdulrahman AbdulRazaq, APC: Although a lot was done to unseat him internally, in the end, the incumbent governor of Kwara State was re-nominated unopposed and certified to go for a second term in 2023. Before the primary election, several members of Lai Mohammed’s faction – who frowned on the governor’s hold on the party – decamped to the Social Democratic Party (SDP), handing the governor total control of the party.
Abdulahi Yaman, PDP: An unhappy decampee from the ruling APC, Yaman found his feet in good time and was able to come out on top in the race for the party’s sole ticket. He was declared winner of the keenly contested primary election held at the Arca Santa Event Centre in Ilorin, after beating two other contestants – a former two-term member of the House of Representatives, Aliyu Ahman Patigi (31 votes) and former Nigerian Ambassador to Japan, Professor Yisa Gana (14 votes) – by 518 votes.
Abdulhakeem Lawal, SDP: The son of a former governor of Kwara State, Mohammed Lawal, emerged as the flagbearer of the SDP for the 2023 governorship election in the state. Lawal polled 33 votes to defeat a former chairman of the Federal Character Commission (FCC) Oba AbdulRaheem, who got 16 votes; former gubernatorial aspirant under the APC in 2019 Tajudeen Audu with 10 votes; Sunday Babalola with 2 votes, Kale Belgore, a former special assistant to the incumbent governor with no votes and a former commissioner in the state, Kaleel Bolaji, also with no vote.
NIGER
Umar Bago, APC: One of the surprises of the parties’ primaries across the country was sprung when Bago (Chanchaga Federal Constituency, House of Representatives), defeated the incumbent deputy governor Mohammed Ketso and a newspaper publisher, Mohammed Malagi, to become the party’s standard-bearer for 2023.
Liman Kantigi, PDP: A former commissioner for local government and chieftaincy affairs in the state, he is touted to know his way around grassroots politics and will not fail to spring a surprise or two at the polls.
DELTA
Sheriff Oborevwori, PDP: The ‘preferred’ candidate of the incumbent state governor and Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Oborevwori, recorded a resounding victory, flooring former governor, James Ibori’s choice, David Edevbie and other contenders. Whether Great Ogboru makes up his mind to run this time or not, political observers have termed the 2023 polls a “two-horse race”.
Ovie Omo-Agege, APC: Once a party rascal (if you recall the saga of the ‘stolen’ mace in 2018) but now a party stalwart, the Deputy Senate President will be on the ballot as the governorship candidate of the APC in Delta State. If the APC has ever hatched a huge plan to take control of the state, this could be it. Mr Omo-Agege was the alleged mastermind of the invasion of the Senate in 2018, during which the mace was stolen. The self-acclaimed son of President Buhari will face off the PDP and other candidates in the main election. Mr Omo-Agege represents Delta South in the Senate and is the Chairman of the Constitution Amendment Committee.
LAGOS
Olajide ‘Jandor’ Adeniran, PDP: The lead visioner of the Lagos4Lagos movement, popularly known as ‘Jandor’, scored 679 votes to defeat his opponent and former couture owner, David Vaughan who polled 20 votes.
Jide Sanwo-Olu, APC: Many observers bet top-dollar that he would not get a return ticket. When the time came, though, it was almost a walk-over for him. Rumours has it that his way was made smooth by a presidential aspirant and former governor, Bola Ahmed Tinubu
BENUE
Hyacinth Alia, APC: Many were yet to grasp the news of the expulsion of the priest by the Catholic Diocese of Gboko for deciding to contest for the governorship ticket when he floored bigwigs at the party primaries – former National Chairman of PDP, Barnabas Gemade and former AGF Mike Aondoakaa being among them. The polity is hoping he rides his wind to the government house.
Titus Uba, PDP: Incumbent Speaker of the State House of Assembly and an ally of the governor, Samuel Ortom, Uba emerged the PDP governorship candidate for Benue State via a keenly-contested primaries held at the Aper Aku Stadium in Makurdi. Uba clinched 21 LGA to leave his closest challenger, Benson Abounu, with 2 (Otukpo and Ogbadibo).
PLATEAU
Nentanwe Yilwatda, APC: A former Resident Electoral Commissioner in Benue State, he has swapped the vote-counting for the vote-casting. He defeated the deputy governor of the state, Sonny Tyoden and several other candidates.
Caleb Mutfwang, PDP: Former local government chairman of Mangu LGA in the state, Mutfwang, swept in like a whirlwind and stole the day. Mutfwang polled 252 votes to defeat 13 other aspirants in the governorship primary which saw the runner-up, Kefas Ropshick, come a distant second with 113 votes.
KANO
Abba ‘Abba Gida Gida’ Yusuf, NNPP: One of the sons-in-law of Rabiu Kwankwaso, Yusuf made light work of his opponents in the primaries, to become the party’s standard-bearer for the 2023 polls. Yusuf lost to the incumbent governor, Ganduje after the election was declared inconclusive and a re-run election ensued.
The PDP continued to grapple with internal crises, as its two factions elected two flagbearers – Sadiq Wali and Mohammed Abacha, son of ex-military ruler, late Sani Abacha. At the congress conducted at the state secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Abacha polled a total of 736 votes to beat Jafar Sani Belllo, with 710 votes. In the parallel primary conducted by the Aminu Wali faction of the party at the Sani Abacha Youth Center, Sadiq Wali as the governorship candidate of the party.
Nasir Gawuna, APC: The deputy governor of Kano State and favourite of incumbent governor, Umar Ganduje, Gawuna polled 2,289 votes to defeat a member of the House of Representatives, Sha’aban Sharada, who scored 30 votes. The governorship race in Kano is looking like a three-horse race involving the PDP, APC and NNPP.
KATSINA
Dikko Radda, APC: The former director-general of the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency (SMEDAN) is the governorship candidate of the APC in President Buhari’s home state. Radda, endorsed by the incumbent governor, Aminu Masari, defeated Abbas Masanawa, the former managing director of the Nigeria Security Printing and Minting Company (NSPMC) and eight others.
Yakubu Lado, PDP: Former senator, Lado will be going up against his strongest opposition yet, Radda, at the polls in 2023. Lado polled 740 votes to defeat his major contender, Salisu Majigiri, who secured 257 votes in the Katsina State governorship primary held at the party’s secretariat.
KEBBI
Nasiru Idris, APC: The incumbent president of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Nasiru Idris, emerged the governorship candidate of the ruling party, defeating several opponents, including Senate Majority Leader, Yahaya Abdullahi.
Aminu Bande, PDP: Bande, a retired general, scored 471 votes, followed by a former minister, Dr Buhari Bala, who polled 43 votes; Garba Haruna (22 votes) and Samaila Sambawa (21 votes), to emerge the sole candidate of the PDP.
ZAMFARA
Dauda Lawal, PDP: A former banker, Lawal secured the party’s ticket for 2023 with a resounding 432 votes, defeating Dr. Ibrahim Shehu Bakauye (5 votes), Wadatau Madawaki (3 votes) and Hafiz Usman Nahuche (nil votes).
Bello Matawalle, APC: The governor of Zamfara State, Bello Matawalle, who was the candidate of the PDP in 2019, emerged unopposed as the candidate of the APC. Having resolved his deep difference with a former governor of the state, Abdulaziz Yari and Kabir Marafa, a former senator, it seemed like all he needed to do to come good with the delegates.
JIGAWA
Mustapha Lamido, PDP: The son of the former state governor, Lamido defeated his challenger, Sale Shehu, a former junior minister for works by 829 to zero votes. Of these, only 3 votes were declared invalid.
Umar Namadi, APC: The current deputy governor is the governorship candidate of the APC in Jigawa State, having defeated Sabo Nakudu, the serving senator for Jigawa southwest district.
BORNO
Babagana Zulum, APC: The governor got his return ticket unopposed, mostly for his sterling performance over the last 3 yearsplus.
Mohammed Jajari, PDP: Despite his percieved good works, Zulum will still have to find his way around the PDP’s flagbearer to earn a second term. Jajari polled 487 votes to defeat Mohammed Imam, who polled 362 in the primary election.
YOBE
Shariff Abdullahi, PDP: Abdullahi emerged sole flagbearer of the PDP at the primary election conducted at the August 27th Stadium Damaturu, polling 295 votes, against Dr. Ali Adamu Tikau (129 votes) and Abba Gana Tata (109 votes), to emerge winner of the contest. Mai Mala Buni, APC: he former caretaker chairman of the APC got the nod of his party to recontest the governorship seat, unopposed.
GOMBE
Jibrin Dan-Barde, PDP. The PDP has presented the former group managing director of Sun Trust Bank, as its candidate. The general election is projected to be a tough battle because Gombe was a PDP stronghold, until 2019Mohammed Inuwa, APC. Many observers feared that a rift between Inuwa and ex-governor Danjuma Goje would cause a major upset in the primary election, but the governor got the ticket unopposed. TARABA Kefas Agbu, PDP. Bwacha’s main challenger, Lt. Col. Agbu Kefas (rtd) has won the Taraba governorship ticket of the PDP, polling 443 votes against first runner-up and Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Prof. Joseph Kunini (31 votes) and Prof. Jerome Nyame (24 votes) to clinch the party’s ticket from the 517 votes cast. Emmanuel Bwacha, APC. The former Deputy Senate Majority Leader is the governorship candidate of the APC in Taraba State. His emergence was not without controversy, as Lawrence Onuchuwhu, the chairman of the primary election committee, alleged a threat to his life and those of members of the committee.
NASARAWA
David ‘Davematics’ Ombugadu, PDP: Straight from the House of Representatives, Ombugadu has been waiting in the wings for a season and he could see this as good a time as any, in spite of the power of the incumbent, to go for the jugular. He has got the strength and the numbers of the Egg on people to pull this one through; but, will he?
Sule Abdullahi, APC: The CEO of Africa Petroleum and incumbent governor of Nasarawa State will take some comfort in the fact that he could defeat an ex-wife of the APC national chairman, Abdullahi Adamu, to get his return ticket.
RIVERS
Siminialayi Fubara, PDP: Beyond his party’s current worries, Cole will have to worry about the PDP’s Fubara, who is an emerging force and the choice of incumbent governor, Nyesom Wike. One good thing which may work in favour of the PDP is the EFCC’s searchlight currently on Fubara. It could be the decider.
Tonye Cole, APC: For the second time in a row, the CEO of Sahara Energy clinched the governorship ticket of the APC, although the court barred the party from fielding any candidates in the state polls in 2019. Internal conflicts – this time, with Magnus Abe refusing to accept the outcome of the primary – are threatening to throw the party in the state into disarray.
SOKOTO
Ahmed Aliyu, APC: Ex- Sokoto State deputy governor and immediate past secretary of the Police Trust Fund, has his ticket punched as the APC’s candidate in Sokoto.
Sa’idu Umar, PDP: Aliyu’s main opponent is the immediate former secretary to the Sokoto state government (SSG).Umar got the nod after a former deputy governor in the state, Mukhtar Shagari and the current PDP chairman of the state, Bello Goronyo stepped down for him.
OGUN
Dapo Abiodun, APC: Incumbent governor of Ogun State got the nod of his party to seek another term in office. He will face his main challenger in the PDP candidate. However, the opposition party has produced two candidates, Ladi Adebutu and Segun Sowunmi and has yet to decide which of them will fly its flag in 2023
