Six serving governors have declared their intentions to contest for senatorial seats in the forthcoming general elections.

Our correspondents report that of the eight APC governors expected to complete their second terms in May 2027, five have formally joined the race for Senate seats, submitting their expression of interest and nomination forms ahead of the party’s senatorial primaries slated for May 18, while Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi, has also obtained his form under the banner of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM).

The affected governors are the chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum and Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State, Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State, Mai Mala Buni of Yobe and Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa State and Bala Mohammed of Bauchi.

While some of the serving senators whose senatorial districts are the same with that of the governors have resigned to their fate and agreed to step down, others have insisted that they will slug it out.

The APC has adopted two modes of primaries, the consensus which is allowed when all the aspirants resolve to step down for one or direct primary when such agreement cannot be reached.

It has become a practice for governors who have completed their eight-year term to see the Senate as their landing place.

Although some analysts said nothing is wrong with such ambition, many have raised concerns that it is becoming the trend in Nigerian politics.

John Ireoluwa, a political scientist, noted that, “Even in advanced country like the United States of America (USA), the Senate is often occupied by seasoned and experienced politicians. However, most of these governors in Nigeria often got the seat in an undemocratic way by muzzling out either the serving senators or anyone that dares contest against them.”

The path appears relatively smooth in Adamawa and Yobe states where the incumbent lawmakers already stepped aside in support of the governors’ ambitions.

The case of Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State who is targeting the Nasarawa North Senatorial district seat appears peculiar because the seat became vacant with the death of Senator Godiya Akwashiki in December, 2025 and up till now elections have not been conducted to fill it.

With preparations for the 2027 elections already on course, it doesn’t appear like there will be any elections to fill the space before the next general polls.

The situation will not be that smooth in Ogun and Kwara State where the incumbent senators have either threatened showdown ahead the primaries or have set stringent conditions for letting go. Our correspondents report on the intrigues in each of the states.

Gombe North: Dankwambo, Inuwa Yahaya back for another bout

In Gombe State, Governor Yahaya has recently obtained a nomination form to contest for the senate seat, currently occupied by Senator Dankwambo, the latter was also said to be interested in contesting for the seat again.

The race for the Gombe North Senatorial District could be said to be a repeat contest between former Governor Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

In 2015, when Dankwambo sought re-election for a second term in office, he was challenged by Inuwa Yahaya, though he was defeated at the polls, Yahaya attributed his defeat to power of incumbency then wielded by Dankwambo.

The political rivalry between the two political heavyweights, who are all from the same Gombe local government area of the state, could be traced back to 2011, when Yahaya as a commissioner of finance under Danjuma Goje administration indicated interest to succeed his boss.

However, Goje bypassed Yahaya in favour of Dankwambo, who had served as Accountant General of the state under Inuwa Yahaya, before his (Dankwambo) elevation to Accountant General of the Federation.

But midway into Dankwambo’s tenure he separated way with Goje, and in 2015 he (Goje) supported Yahaya against Dankwmabo, but Dankwambo as an incumbent narrowly won after he polled 285,369 votes to defeat Yahaya, who got 205,132

In 2019, Inuwa Yahaya launched a comeback and defeated Dankwambo’s anointed candidate, Senator Usman Bayero Nafada of the PDP. Also, in 2023 Yahaya, as an incumbent, again defeated Muhammad Jibril Barde, another PDP candidate sponsored by Dankwambo.

As such, when eventually Dankwambo threw his hat in the race, political pundits say the contest is going to be a “replay” of the 2015 elections.

Political observers say Inuwa Yahaya has the advantage of incumbency.

During his two-term tenure, he executed several gigantic projects, being touted by his supporters as ‘unprecedented’ in the history of the state. He also paid a backlog of retirees’ gratuity worth billions of naira accumulated during Dankwambo’s tenure.

Also, at the moment in Gombe state, the APC occupies the governorship seat, has two senators, five House of Representatives seats, and all the 24 seats at the state House of Assembly.

However, politicians and other residents of the state accused him of ‘eating’ alone. They accused him of abandoning people who worked hard for his victory.

On Dankwambo’s side, there is grumbling among the electorates in the senatorial district, people in the five local government areas of Dukku, Funakaye, Gombe, Kwami and Nafada that make up the senatorial district, are accusing him of nonchalant attitude and making himself inaccessible to them.

Also, politicians and other stakeholders that worked hard to ensure his victory are accusing him of abandoning them. There were allegations that he hardly visits to interact with them to know their problems first-hand.

Nevertheless, pundits believed that the contest for the Gombe North Senatorial District in 2027, is going to be a clash of the titans.

Nasarawa: Gov Sule’s challenge would be in the general elections

The Nasarawa North Senatorial District has emerged as the state’s most closely watched political battleground ahead of the 2027 elections, following Governor Abdullahi Sule’s decision to purchase the APC expression of interest and nomination forms for the seat.

The district, made up of Akwanga, Nasarawa Eggon and Wamba LGAs, has been vacant since the death of Senator Godiya Akwashiki in December 2025. Akwashiki’s passing not only left a legislative vacuum but also reset the political calculus for 2027, as there is no sitting senator from either the ruling APC or the opposition to defend the seat or leverage incumbency advantage.

For Governor Sule, this creates a rare opening. Unlike most senatorial contests where an incumbent’s name recognition, patronage network and constituency projects pose a formidable barrier, Sule is entering a race without that institutional weight to contend with.

His entry is also backed by the weight of office. As a two-term governor, he controls the APC’s state structure and has used the last seven years to build political capital across the three LGAs, particularly in Akwanga, his home LGA.

That local base could prove decisive in the APC primary, even as it pits him against Silas Agara, the immediate past Director General of the National Directorate of Employment, who is also from Akwanga and has secured the APC forms.

Agara’s entry sets up an intra-party contest with the governor, but Sule’s status as the incumbent chief executive and his widely reported backing from the party establishment give him an edge in delegate mobilization and funding. Agara, while credible given his federal experience, will have to overcome the structural advantage Sule holds within the party.

Describing his decision as a “Christian missionary journey” aimed at contributing to the growth of the state, particularly his Nasarawa North Senatorial District, Agara said he resigned from his federal appointment to heed the call of his people. “I’m doing so to honor the call of our people, to add value to the politics of the state, and to support the aspirations of our people,” he told party officials during his visit to them in Lafia. “For me, Silas Agara, I’m not competing with anyone for a stage. The stage is large enough for all of us to prove our worth.”

Chairman of the All Progressives Congress in Nasarawa State, Aliyu Bello, has assured Agara of a level playing field as he seeks the party’s ticket for the seat. Bello commended Agara for showing respect to party structure by seeking permission before embarking on a ward-to-ward campaign tour in the senatorial district.

On the opposition front, the Social Democratic Party’s Labaran Maku, former Minister of Information, has also obtained SDP forms to test his popularity in the June 20, 2026, rerun election to replace Akwashiki and in the 2027 general election.

Maku remains a respected figure in the state, but SDP’s limited grassroots structure in Nasarawa North compared to APC’s dominance could blunt his impact. More importantly, Maku will be fighting two battles at once, the rerun and the 2027 general election. While Sule can focus his machinery on consolidating support for the latter.

With no incumbent to fragment the APC vote and with the opposition still rebuilding after Akwashiki’s death, the contest may be less competitive than it appears on paper.

That said, the primary remains the first hurdle. An Akwanga versus Akwanga contest between Sule and Agara could still split the LGA’s votes and energize local rivalries. But unless a consensus candidate emerges from the opposition or a high-profile third force enters the race, Governor Sule’s combination of name recognition, state machinery and the absence of an incumbent gives him structural advantage.

Buni picks Yobe East senatorial form as Kulas steps down

Governor Mai Mala Buni has obtained the All Progressives Congress (APC) Expression of Interest and Nomination forms to contest for the Yobe East Senatorial seat ahead of the 2027 elections.

The development came as the incumbent senator representing Yobe East, Musa Mustapha Kulas, formally stepped down from the race and declared support for the governor’s senatorial ambition.

It was gathered that Senator Kulas also withdrew from the APC governorship contest in the state following a stakeholders’ meeting held in Abuja, and another meeting of the Yobe APC Critical Stakeholders’ Forum in Damaturu.

The meeting, held on April 23, 2026, was attended by Governor Buni, the Minister of Police Affairs, Ibrahim Gaidam, and other party stakeholders.

In a statement issued after the meeting, Kulas said party leaders had resolved to support candidates presented by the APC leadership ahead of the 2027 elections.

“During our meeting, we unanimously agreed to support whoever our leaders present as their preferred governorship candidate,” he said.

The senator described his decision as one guided by “integrity and responsibility,” adding that he had confidence in the judgment of the party leadership.

“In the spirit of integrity and responsibility, I hereby formally withdraw from the contest for the APC senatorial ticket,” he stated.

Kulas further clarified that he would not seek the senatorial ticket on another political platform, but would instead support Governor Buni’s bid for the Yobe East seat.

The lawmaker also directed his supporters to shut down or re purpose all social media platforms promoting his political ambition in order to support APC candidates.

“I hereby direct you to close down all social media platforms registered in my name or rename them and use them to promote all APC candidates in Yobe State and beyond,” he said.

He expressed appreciation to Governor Buni and the Minister, Gaidam, for the opportunities given to him in public service, noting that he rose from Executive Secretary of the Yobe State Scholarship Board to commissioner and eventually senator.

Weekend Trust gathered that before the emergence of former Secretary to the State Government, Baba Malam Wali, as the preferred governorship candidate of the APC leadership, there had been speculation that Governor Buni and Senator Kulas would swap positions, a development that had raised expectations among the senator’s supporters.

However, the Director-General, Press and Media Affairs to the Governor, Mamman Mohammed, confirmed that Governor Buni had completed and submitted his nomination forms for the Yobe East Senatorial District.

According to him, the forms were purchased by the Political and Public Office Holders Association of Zone A in collaboration with representatives of various political and public office holders’ groups in the zone.

He added that members of the groups made personal donations to purchase the forms for the governor.

“This is to ensure that after his tenure as governor, he should continue serving the people in the capacity of a federal legislator,” he said.

Adamawa Senator withdraws for Fintiri

In Adamawa State, the situation between Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri and the serving Senator of Adamawa Northern senatorial zone, Senator Amos Yohanna is synonymous with that of a godson and godfather arrangement.

The senator has all along been seen as a place holder for the governor until when the latter decides to run for the seat.

As if to confirm that, Senator Amos Yohanna willingly stepped down from the race, bought nomination form for Fintiri and declared his total support for the governor.

He added that as a political son of Governor Ahmadu Fintiri, it was incumbent on him to purchase the nomination forms.

“My resolve to support Governor Fintiri is guided by personal conviction and loyalty to our people,” he said, adding that stakeholders jointly encouraged the governor to contest the seat.

Recall that in 2023 general elections, Senator Yohanna flew the flag of the People’s Democratic party, PDP, but was roundly defeated at the polls by Senator Ishaku Abbo of the All Progressives Congress, APC.

Yohanna, who was little known in the politics of the state was believed to have been assisted by Governor Fintiri to reclaim his mandate through the court even though political book makers are of the opinion that he performed far below expectations.

So it was not surprising to the people when Yohanna decided to step aside and support the governor.

Bala Mohammed and the new party challenge

Bauchi State Bala Mohammed has purchased nomination and expression of interest forms to contest Bauchi South Senatorial seat under the platform of Allied Peoples Movement (APM).

Mohammed defected to APM on May 2, saying that his decision to join the party was guided by one overriding objective to continue serving his people with purpose and integrity.

Mohammed noted that APM offers a viable platform to organise effectively, mobilise supporters, and present a coherent and credible alternative to his people in Bauchi as “Allied Peoples’ Movement is free from legal encumbrances that could impede aspirations of aspirants.”

Investigation revealed that more 20 popular politicians including former members of House of Reps representing Bauchi Federal Constituency Yakubu Abdullahi popularly known as “Wakilin Birni” and Shehu Aliyu Musa (Barden Gabas) are vying for the Bauchi South Senatorial District from various political parties.

The chances of Governor Mohammed clinching the seat might be difficult due to the weakness of his party (APM). Also, looking at political history and unique election pattern of Bauchi people, especially in Bauchi South, where the people voted against sitting governors who attempted to go to the Senate because two incumbent governors, Ahmadu Adamu Muazu in 2003 and Malam Isah Yuguda, in 2015, failed to secure Bauchi South Senatorial seat.

Whoever among the popular politicians that emerges as candidate of major parties for the senatorial elections would possibly get sympathy votes and get the support of gang-up of political gladiators against the governor and the candidate they support may likely beat the governor during the general elections.

Abiodun, Daniel’s bruising battle in Ogun

The battle for the All Progressives Congress (APC) ticket for the Ogun East Senatorial seat between Governor Dapo Abiodun and the occupant of the seat, former Governor Gbenga Daniel, has taken a dramatic turn in recent weeks.

What began as a quiet rivalry has now escalated into a bruising political confrontation.

In September 2023, the Ogun State Government demolished DATKEM Plaza in Ijebu-Ode, a property owned by Yeye Olufunke Daniel, wife of former Governor Gbenga Daniel, citing violations of physical planning laws. Political observers said the act was a sign of the growing rivalry between Daniel and Abiodun and a prelude to the senatorial ticket face-off.

The cold war between Abiodun and Daniel, who is popularly known as OGD, began during the build-up to the 2023 elections over the APC senatorial ticket for Ogun East. Insiders say Abiodun has his eyes on the seat ahead of 2027, but realised that unseating Daniel after one term would not be easy.

Initially, Abiodun backed Seyi Oduntan for the ticket before shifting his support to former Senator Lekan Mustapha. Mustapha eventually withdrew from the primary following the intervention of the late Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona, clearing the way for Daniel’s emergence as the party’s candidate.

But peace never truly returned. In October 2022, Daniel defied a state APC directive, believed to have been influenced by Abiodun, instructing candidates to delay campaign flag-offs. Daniel launched his campaign in Sagamu, drawing political heavyweights such as Wale Edun, who represented presidential candidate Bola Tinubu, and former Lagos senators Ganiu Solomon and Musiliu Obanikoro.

Despite both men winning their respective elections in 2023, cracks in their relationship widened. While Daniel swept Ogun East, Abiodun lost six of the nine local government areas in the district, including his own Ikenne LGA, to the PDP’s Ladi Adebutu.

The feud intensified in September 2023 when the government demolished the five-storey DATKEM Plaza in Ijebu-Ode, owned by Daniel’s wife and housing his senatorial office. Mrs Daniel condemned the move as “executive recklessness,” while Abiodun insisted that no one was above the law.

Last year, a demolition notice was also served on Daniel’s residence, marking another flash point in the feud. Daniel’s Sagamu residence, Asoludero Court — a hub of his political activities — and the Conference Hotel annex were among the properties marked.

OGD described the action as political persecution. However, the governor’s media aide, Kayode Akinmade, denied any vendetta, describing the exercise as part of a statutory land audit affecting several properties.

In November last year, Daniel was suspended by the APC ward executive in a move allegedly orchestrated by Abiodun to clear his path in the senatorial race.

However, the APC National Working Committee (NWC), in a statement by the party’s National Secretary, Senator Surajudeen Ajibola Basiru, quashed the suspension, affirming that Daniel remained a bona fide member of the APC.

Speaking on behalf of the stakeholders, former Ogun East senator, Lekan Mustapha, said the decision was driven by a shared conviction that Abiodun possessed the capacity to represent the district effectively in the Senate.

However, Daniel’s political camp, under the aegis of the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Otunba Gbenga Daniel (BATOGD) Movement, dismissed the endorsement during a press conference in Sagamu on Thursday.

The Deputy Director-General of BATOGD, Otunba Tayo Onayemi, maintained that the party’s constitution recognises only procedures such as consensus backed by the written consent of all aspirants or direct primaries.

Also speaking, Akogun Kola Onadipe challenged the governor to contest the APC primary in the senatorial race to test his popularity.

Weekend Trust reports that both political leaders have obtained and submitted the APC senatorial nomination forms, signalling their preparedness for a direct primary.

AbdulRazaq, Saliu Mustapha in high-stakes battle in Kwara

The move by Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, to secure the APC senatorial ticket for Kwara Central ahead of the 2027 elections has intensified. Political calculations within the ruling party have changed triggering fresh questions over the future of incumbent Senator Saliu Mustapha.

Though both politicians have maintained public restraint, insiders within the party said the looming contest between the two influential APC figures is rapidly shaping into one of the fiercest political battles in Kwara’s political history.

The development is particularly significant given their political trajectory.

Senator Mustapha was among the key figures credited with mobilising support for AbdulRazaq’s emergence and eventual consolidation of power within the APC.

Political observers recall that Mustapha’s grassroots network, especially among youths and sections of the traditional institution, played a quiet but strategic role during the governor’s re-election campaign.

However, shortly after the 2023 elections, cracks allegedly began to emerge between both camps over unresolved political interests and succession calculations.

The disagreement gradually degenerated into a cold war, with loyalists from both sides engaging in verbal attacks across radio platforms, social media and other public spaces.

That rivalry has now snowballed into what party insiders described as a dangerous “swapping of ambitions,” with Governor AbdulRazaq reportedly eyeing the Kwara Central Senate seat while Senator Mustapha has formally stepped into the governorship race after purchasing his expression of interest form.

Although the governor has yet to publicly declare interest in the Senate seat, multiple APC sources told Weekend Trust that he has already picked his nomination form.

At the last count, local government chairmen in Ilorin South and Ilorin West, alongside the APC Concerned Kwara Central Senatorial Elders and the Kwara Central APC Elders’ Caucus, have openly endorsed the governor for the Senate and urged party leaders to concede the ticket to him.

According to insiders, recent consultations among top party stakeholders allegedly favoured granting outgoing second-term governors preferential consideration for Senate tickets in their respective states.

If implemented, the arrangement would effectively edge Senator Mustapha out of the Senate race leaving him only with the governorship options unless a consensus deal is reached.

‘It’s due to Nigeria’s weak economy’

A political analyst, Professor Uji Wilfred, attributed the growing trend of Nigerian governors seeking Senate seats after leaving office to the country’s weak economy, flawed democratic practice and poor governance at the state level. He said the pattern reflects deep structural differences between Nigeria’s democracy and that of advanced nations, where the Senate is a powerful, long-term institution.

“In America for example, senators are almost like governors in influence. Some are even more powerful than governors and often serve for 25 to 30 years. The seat is only vacated when a senator retires,” he said. “But in Nigeria, it’s common to see a governor spend eight years in office and then move straight to the Senate for another eight years.”

Wilfred argued that Nigeria’s economy remains largely dependent on farming and crude oil, sectors largely controlled by the political class rather than industrial entrepreneurs. This, he said, leaves little room for real economic productivity and forces many politicians to see the Senate as a fallback for relevance and financial security.

“The only reason governors move to the Senate is to consolidate their political structure, not to drive development,” Wilfred said. “What do they do in the Senate? Some go there and sleep. There is no productivity. If you couldn’t deliver development as governor, what will you do in the Senate?”

He concluded that the trend reflects “selfish ambition” and a desire to remain within the ruling political class rather than a commitment to national service. “It’s recycling, not development. The proper progression should be from governor to president, not governor to Senate to president,” he said.

Most former governors see Senate as retirement home – Dr Sufi

Dr. Kabiru Sa’id Sufi, a lecturer at the Kano State College of Arts, Science and Remedial Studies, criticized the growing trend of former governors “retiring” into the Senate, describing the move as “more self-serving than an act of national service.”

“Many people are seeing the legislature this time around, especially the Senate, as a retirement plan for [former governors] instead of a place for making laws for the betterment of the people,” he said. “It means many see this move not as being for the people, but as self-serving for the governors who have finished their tenures and do not want to lose relevance.”

However, Dr. Sufi cautioned against over-generalizing. He noted that the impact of former governors in the Senate depends largely on their age, adaptability, and willingness to contribute meaningfully.

He explained that while some leave after a single term upon realizing their presence adds little value, others stay long enough to master the legislative system and make positive contributions. He cited examples of politicians who adapted well over time, as well as those who chose to exit early when they felt they could serve better elsewhere.

Since 2007 when governors that were completing their second terms were exiting the stage and started showing interests in going to the Senate, confrontations became inevitable.

The most celebrated case of the period was between then Governor Joshua Dariye of Plateau State and then Deputy President of the Senate, Ibrahim Mantu, for the Plateau Central senatorial seat.

Dariye lost the opportunity to contest the seat as he was impeached but before he could reclaim his position as governor, the elections were over and in a twist of fate, Mantu also lost the seat to Sati Gogwim in the general polls.

Subsequently, most governors serving their second terms prefer to retire to the Senate to the extent that it is now viewed as the norm. (Weekend Trust)

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