2023 Nigerian Senate elections in Lagos State

The 2023 Nigerian Senate elections in Lagos State was held on 25 February 2023, to elect the 3 federal Senators from Lagos State, one from each of the state's three senatorial districts. The elections coincided with the 2023 presidential election, as well as other elections to the Senate and elections to the House of Representatives; with state elections being held two weeks later. Primaries were held between 4 April and 9 June 2022.

2023 Nigerian Senate elections in Lagos State
25 February 2023

All 3 Lagos State seats in the Senate of Nigeria
  Majority party
 
Party APC
Last election 3
Seats before 3
Seats won 3

     APC incumbent retiring
     APC incumbent running for re-election

Background

In terms of the previous Senate elections, two of the three incumbent senators were returned as Oluremi Tinubu (APC-Central) and Solomon Olamilekan Adeola (APC-West) were re-elected while Gbenga Bareehu Ashafa (APC-East) lost renomination. In the Central district, Tinubu was re-elected with 58% of the vote as Adeola held his western seat with 53%; in the open East seat, Adebayo Osinowo held the seat for the APC with 59% of the vote. These results were a part of the continuation of the Lagos APC's dominance as most House of Representatives seats were won by the party, it won a majority in the House of Assembly, and Buhari won the state in the presidential election.

Overview

Affiliation Party Total
APC
Previous Election 3 3
Before Election 3 3
After Election 3 3

Summary

     APC incumbent retiring
     APC incumbent running
District Incumbent Results
Incumbent Party Status Candidates
Lagos Central Oluremi Tinubu APC Incumbent retired
New member elected
APC hold
Lagos East Tokunbo Abiru APC Incumbent re-elected
Lagos West Solomon Olamilekan Adeola APC Incumbent retired
New member elected
APC hold

Lagos Central

2023 Lagos Central Senatorial District election
25 February 2023
 
Nominee Wasiu Eshinlokun Sanni Wale Gomez
Party APC PDP
Popular vote 131,828 69,320

Senator before election

Oluremi Tinubu
APC

Elected Senator

Wasiu Eshinlokun Sanni
APC

The Lagos Central Senatorial District covers the local government areas of Apapa, Eti-Osa, Lagos Island, Lagos Mainland, and Surulere. Incumbent Oluremi Tinubu (APC), who was re-elected with 52.9% of the vote in 2019, declined to seek re-election to focus on assisting the presidential campaign of her husband—former Governor Bola Tinubu (APC).

All Progressives Congress

On 20 April 2022, the APC National Executive Committee announced the party's schedule for senatorial primaries, setting its expression of interest form price at ₦3 million and nomination form price at ₦17 million with a 50% discount for candidates younger than 40 while women and candidates with disabilities get free nomination forms. Forms were to be sold from 26 April to 6 May until the deadline was later extended to 10 May then 12 May.[8] After the submission of nomination forms by 13 May, candidates were screened by a party committee on 14 and 15 May while 18 May was the date for the screening appeal process.[9] Ward congresses and LGA congresses were set for 16 and 17 May to elect delegates for the primary. Candidates approved by the screening process advanced to a primary set for 27 May, in concurrence with other APC senatorial primaries; challenges to the result could be made on 28 May.[10][11][12][13]

After it was confirmed that Tinubu would retire from the Senate, four candidates emerged: Oyinlomo Danmole—former Commissioner for Home Affairs and Culture, Wasiu Eshinlokun SanniDeputy Speaker of the House of Assembly and MHA for Lagos Island I, Ademola Rasaq Seriki—former Ambassador to Spain, and Akeem Apatira.[14][15][16] Another potential candidate—House of Assembly Speaker Mudashiru Obasa—was reportedly pushed out of the contest by party leadership and assuaged with a promised return to the HOA Speakership.[17][15] In the primary—held at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Surulere, Eshinlokun-Sanni defeated runner-up Seriki by 29% margin.[18]

APC primary results[18]
Party Candidate Votes %
APC Wasiu Eshinlokun Sanni 185 60.85%
APC Ademola Rasaq Seriki 97 31.91%
APC Akeem Apatira 22 7.24%
APC Oyinlomo Danmole 0 0.00%
Total votes 304 100.00%
Invalid or blank votes 0 N/A
Turnout 304 98.06%

People's Democratic Party

On 16 March 2022, the national PDP announced its senatorial primary timetable, setting its expression of interest form price at ₦1 million and the nomination form price at ₦20 million with a 50% discount for candidates between 25 and 30. Forms were to be sold until 1 April but the party later extended the deadline four times before reaching a final deadline of 22 April. After the submission of nomination forms by 25 April, candidates were screened by a party committee on 27 April while 2 May was the rescheduled date for the screening appeal process. Ward congresses were set for 29 April and LGA congresses were rescheduled for 10 May to elect delegates for the primary.[19] Candidates approved by the screening process advanced to a primary set for 23 May, in concurrence with other PDP senatorial primaries but due to often violently enforced Monday stay-at-home orders by separatists, southeastern state parties held their primaries on 24 May;[20] challenges to the result could be made on 25 May.[21][22][23][24]

Before the primary, analysts noted three major candidates: Adesunbo Onitiri, Adetokunbo Pearse, and Wale Gomez with an anonymous party chieftain naming Onitiri—the 2019 nominee—as the frontrunner.[15] However, on primary day, Gomez won the nomination amid massive controversy and protests as party officials had allegedly switched venues at the last minute.[25]

Results

2023 Lagos Central Senatorial District election
Party Candidate Votes %
ADC Abayomi Omotayo Idowu
APC Wasiu Eshinlokun-Sanni
BP Tunde Bolarin
NRM Francis Adekunle Owobiyi
NNPP Raphael Oloke
PDP Wale Gomez
SDP Adeyinka Adelaja
YPP Blessing Tunde Oladeji
ZLP Princess Blessing Oji
Total votes 100.00%
Invalid or blank votes N/A
Turnout

Lagos East

2023 Lagos East Senatorial District election
25 February 2023
 
Nominee Tokunbo Abiru Nicholas Akobada
Party APC PDP
Popular vote 178,646 80,249
Percentage 60.55% 27.20%

Senator before election

Tokunbo Abiru
APC

Elected Senator

Tokunbo Abiru
APC

The Lagos East Senatorial District covers the local government areas of Epe, Ibeju-Lekki, Ikorodu, Kosofe, and Somolu. In 2019, Adebayo Osinowo (APC) was elected to the seat but he died in June 2020.[26] In the ensuing by-election, Tokunbo Abiru (APC) was elected with 87.2% of the vote; he is seeking re-election.

All Progressives Congress

On 20 April 2022, the APC National Executive Committee announced the party's schedule for senatorial primaries, setting its expression of interest form price at ₦3 million and nomination form price at ₦17 million with a 50% discount for candidates younger than 40 while women and candidates with disabilities get free nomination forms. Forms were to be sold from 26 April to 6 May until the deadline was later extended to 10 May then 12 May.[8] After the submission of nomination forms by 13 May, candidates were screened by a party committee on 14 and 15 May while 18 May was the date for the screening appeal process.[9] Ward congresses and LGA congresses were set for 16 and 17 May to elect delegates for the primary. Candidates approved by the screening process advanced to a primary set for 27 May, in concurrence with other APC senatorial primaries; challenges to the result could be made on 28 May.[10][11][12][13]

On the primary date, an indirect primary in Magodo resulted in the renomination of Abiru unopposed. In his acceptance speech, Abiru praised party members and promised to do more for the district.[27]

APC primary results[27]
Party Candidate Votes %
APC Tokunbo Abiru 344 100.00%
Total votes 344 100.00%
Invalid or blank votes 0 N/A
Turnout 344 Unknown

People's Democratic Party

On 16 March 2022, the national PDP announced its senatorial primary timetable, setting its expression of interest form price at ₦1 million and the nomination form price at ₦20 million with a 50% discount for candidates between 25 and 30. Forms were to be sold until 1 April but the party later extended the deadline four times before reaching a final deadline of 22 April. After the submission of nomination forms by 25 April, candidates were screened by a party committee on 27 April while 2 May was the rescheduled date for the screening appeal process. Ward congresses were set for 29 April and LGA congresses were rescheduled for 10 May to elect delegates for the primary.[19] Candidates approved by the screening process advanced to a primary set for 23 May, in concurrence with other PDP senatorial primaries but due to often violently enforced Monday stay-at-home orders by separatists, southeastern state parties held their primaries on 24 May;[28] challenges to the result could be made on 25 May.[21][22][23][29]

On the primary date, four candidates contested an indirect primary in Somolu that ended in Nicholas Akobada winning the nomination after results showed him defeating runner-up Agnes Adenike-Shobajo by an 11-vote margin. However, the primary was marred by controversy over alleged irregularities and a purportedly manipulated delegate list.[30]

PDP primary results[30]
Party Candidate Votes %
PDP Nicholas Akobada 74 47.74%
PDP Agnes Adenike-Shobajo 63 40.65%
PDP Obadiaru Adebayo 16 10.32%
PDP Saidat Odoffin-Fafowora 2 1.29%
Total votes 155 100.00%

Campaign

Analysis from The Nation in late December 2022 gave the advantage to Abiru, in large part to the relatively little active campaigning conducted by Akobada.[31]

Results

2023 Lagos East Senatorial District election
Party Candidate Votes %
A Ehijele Benedict Imumolen
ADC George Olalekan Honey Ashiru
APC Tokunbo Abiru
BP Temitope Temitayo Olowolayemo
NRM Christopher O. Ediale
NNPP Nurudeen Folohunsho Lawal
PDP Nicholas Akobada
SDP Mayowa Oluwaranmilow
YPP Charles Imuenoghomwen Obadiaru
Total votes 100.00%
Invalid or blank votes N/A
Turnout

Lagos West

2023 Lagos West Senatorial District election
25 February 2023
 
Nominee Oluranti Adebule Segun Adewale
Party APC PDP
Popular vote 361,296 248,653
Percentage 59.23% 40.77%

Senator before election

Solomon Olamilekan Adeola
APC

Elected Senator

Oluranti Adebule
APC

The Lagos West Senatorial District covers the local government areas of Agege, Ajeromi-Ifelodun, Alimosho, Amuwo-Odofin, Badagry, Ifako-Ijaiye, Ikeja, Mushin, Ojo, and Oshodi-Isolo. Incumbent Solomon Olamilekan Adeola (APC) was re-elected with 53.3% of the vote in 2019. In April 2022, Adeola announced that he would run for the Ogun West senate seat instead of seeking re-election to his current seat.[32]

All Progressives Congress

On 20 April 2022, the APC National Executive Committee announced the party's schedule for senatorial primaries, setting its expression of interest form price at ₦3 million and nomination form price at ₦17 million with a 50% discount for candidates younger than 40 while women and candidates with disabilities get free nomination forms. Forms were to be sold from 26 April to 6 May until the deadline was later extended to 10 May then 12 May.[8] After the submission of nomination forms by 13 May, candidates were screened by a party committee on 14 and 15 May while 18 May was the date for the screening appeal process.[9] Ward congresses and LGA congresses were set for 16 and 17 May to elect delegates for the primary. Candidates approved by the screening process advanced to a primary set for 27 May, in concurrence with other APC senatorial primaries; challenges to the result could be made on 28 May.[10][11][12][13]

After Adeola announced that he was vacating the seat, the immediate frontrunner in the primary was Musiliu Obanikoro—former Senator and former Minister of State for Defence; however, state party leadership instead backed former Deputy Governor Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire for the seat.[15] However, Orelope-Adefulire did not return the primary forms and suddenly withdrew from the contest, pushing state party leadership to draft another former Deputy Governor—Oluranti Adebule—as a candidate.[33] However, the deadline for candidate entry had already passed and the sudden Adebule candidacy led to controversy.[34] On the primary date, results showed victory for Adebule over Obanikoro by a significant margin of 55%. Adebule thanked delegates in her acceptance speech and promised quality representation.[35] For his part, Obanikoro walked out of the venue and later claimed that Adebule was not eligible to run in the primary.[36][37][38] In an purported attempt to placate Obanikoro, Lagos APC leadership pressured its Eti-Osa Federal Constituency nominee Oyekanmi Elegushi to withdraw for Ibrahim Babajide Obanikoro—Musiliu Obanikoro's son and the runner-up in the Eti-Osa APC primary.[39][40]

APC primary results[35]
Party Candidate Votes %
APC Oluranti Adebule 424 76.12%
APC Musiliu Obanikoro 119 21.37%
APC Kayode Opeifa 14 2.51%
Total votes 557 100.00%
Invalid or blank votes 10 N/A
Turnout 567 Unknown

People's Democratic Party

On 16 March 2022, the national PDP announced its senatorial primary timetable, setting its expression of interest form price at ₦1 million and the nomination form price at ₦20 million with a 50% discount for candidates between 25 and 30. Forms were to be sold until 1 April but the party later extended the deadline four times before reaching a final deadline of 22 April. After the submission of nomination forms by 25 April, candidates were screened by a party committee on 27 April while 2 May was the rescheduled date for the screening appeal process. Ward congresses were set for 29 April and LGA congresses were rescheduled for 10 May to elect delegates for the primary.[19] Candidates approved by the screening process advanced to a primary set for 23 May, in concurrence with other PDP senatorial primaries but due to often violently enforced Monday stay-at-home orders by separatists, southeastern state parties held their primaries on 24 May;[41] challenges to the result could be made on 25 May.[21][22][23][42]

Before the primary, observers noted potential issues with both candidates as frontrunner Segun Adewale had previously contested several elections in his native Ekiti State while Yommy Ogungbe is from the Badagry area just like gubernatorial candidate Abdul-Azeez Olajide Adediran; after three terms of Adeola, an anonymous party member surmised that some voters may prefer an indigene senator while pundits doubted that both a senatorial and gubernatorial nominee could emerged from the same area.[15] Reporting also noted Adewale's multiple electoral defeats and legal issues.[43] In the primary, Adewale defeated Ogungbe by a wide margin; in his acceptance speech, Adewale thanked delegates and pledged to work with party members to win the general election.[44]

PDP primary results[44]
Party Candidate Votes %
PDP Segun Adewale 264 99.25%
PDP Yommy Ogungbe 2 0.75%
Total votes 266 100.00%
Invalid or blank votes 2 N/A
Turnout 268 75.28%

Campaign

Analysis from The Guardian in December 2022, labeled Adebule as the frontrunner due to APC strength in the area but noted Adewale's experience in the district.[45] A piece from The Africa Report in January echoed those sentiments; however, it pointed out opportunities for Adewale: namely, the district's high non-indigene population (a PDP-leaning demographic) and Interior Minister Rauf Aregbesola's discontent with his own APC (Aregbesola has large amounts of supporters in Alimosho). Analysts contended that if Aregbesola backed Adewale and/or Adewale successfully convinced most Labour Party supporters to vote for him on the senatorial line, Adewale had a chance.[46]

Results

2023 Lagos West Senatorial District election
Party Candidate Votes %
A Charles Kolawole James
ADP Olufeyikemi Olaojo
ADC Muhammed Mutairu Ogidi
APC Oluranti Adebule
BP Akintomide Olumide Ogunlegan
NRM Anthony Nelson Olokor
NNPP Mustapha Oladapo Dabiri
PDP Segun Adewale
SDP Tolulope Osundolire
ZLP Anthony Emereole
Total votes 100.00%
Invalid or blank votes N/A
Turnout


See also

References

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