2023 Nigerian Senate elections in Nasarawa State

The 2023 Nigerian Senate elections in Nasarawa State will be held on 25 February 2023, to elect the 3 federal Senators from Nasarawa State, one from each of the state's three senatorial districts. The elections will coincide 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 Nasarawa State
25 February 2023

All 3 Nasarawa State seats in the Senate of Nigeria
  Majority party Minority party
 
Party APC SDP
Last election 3 0
Seats before 1 1

     APC incumbent running for re-election
     SDP incumbent running for re-election
     Vacant

Background

In the previous Senate elections, only one of the three incumbent senators were returned as Abdullahi Adamu (APC-West) was re-elected while Philip Aruwa Gyunka (PDP-North) retired and Suleiman Adokwe (PDP-South) was defeated. Godiya Akwashiki gained the open North district for the APC with 41.2% of the vote while APC challenger Umaru Tanko Al-Makura unseated Adokwe with 49.5%; in the western seat, Adamu was re-elected with 49.6%. These results were a part of the continuation of the Nasarawa APC's slight advantage as the party won three of five House of Representatives seats, held the governorship along with its majority in the state House of Assembly, and Buhari narrowly won the state in the presidential election.

During the 2019–2023 term, Adamu and Al-Makura both ran for APC National Chairman in 2022 with Al-Makura withdrawing right before Adamu was affirmed to the office. After taking office as party chair, Adamu resigned from the Senate in April 2022 in a move that left the West district open for the remainder of the term.[1] For Akwashiki, he defected from the APC to the SDP in July 2022 to obtain the party's senatorial nomination for his re-election campaign.[2]

Overview

Affiliation Party Total
APC SDP PDP Vacant
Previous Election 3 0 0 0 3
Before Election 1 1 0 1[lower-alpha 1] 3
After Election 0 2 1 0 3

Summary

District Incumbent Results
Incumbent Party Status Candidates
Nasarawa North Godiya Akwashiki SDP[lower-alpha 2] Incumbent withdrew from primary[lower-alpha 3][3]
Incumbent re-elected under nomination of new party
Nasarawa South Umaru Tanko Al-Makura APC Incumbent lost re-election
New member elected
PDP gain
Nasarawa West Vacant New member elected
SDP gain
  • TBD (APC)
  • Umar Galadima (PDP)[7][5]
  • Green tickY Ahmed Aliyu Wadada (SDP)[5]

Nasarawa North

2023 Nasarawa North Senatorial District election
25 February 2023
 
Nominee Danladi Halilu Envulu'Anza Nathaniel Obin Aboki Godiya Akwashiki
Party APC PDP SDP

Senator before election

Godiya Akwashiki
SDP

Elected Senator

TBD

The Nasarawa North Senatorial District covers the local government areas of Akwanga, Eggon, and Wamba. The incumbent Godiya Akwashiki (SDP) was elected with 41.2% of the vote in 2019 as a member of the APC; he defected to the SDP in July 2022.[2] He is running for 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]

In the years before the primary, the state APC underwent a small-scale dispute between two senators that used to be governor: Abdullahi Adamu and Umaru Tanko Al-Makura while Governor Abdullahi Sule and Akwashiki mostly stood on the sidelines but leaned towards Al-Makura. The disagreement intensified into a subtle cold war when Adamu resigned from the Senate to become APC National Chairman in March 2022 and gained extensive power over the party at-large leading to rumours that he was planning on replacing Al-Makura and Akwashiki with closer allies.[14][15] Although Al-Makura ended up unopposed in his primary, Akwashiki was targeted as Danladi Halilu Envulu'Anza announced his candidacy. Akwashiki and Envulu'Anza were longtime political rivals and their dispute had only escalated in 2019 when Envulu'Anza and his associates assaulted Akwashiki for his alleged attempt to woo Envulu'Anza's wife.[16] Pundits noted Adamu's open support for Envulu'Anza and categorized the primary as a proxy battle between Adamu and Al-Makura.[17]

In the days before the primary, reports of delegate list manipulation by Adamu in favor of Envulu'Anza led to protests within the party along with a statement from the state party chairman requesting the national secretariat to refrain from further meddling.[18] In the wake of the reports, Akwashiki announced his withdrawal from the primary on 29 May.[19] In the primary, Envulu'Anza easily won the nomination as journalists noted that the manipulated "Abuja list" of delegates was used to determine eligible delegates.[20] The next month, Akwashiki defected to the SDP to obtain its nomination.[2]

APC primary results[20]
Party Candidate Votes %
APC Danladi Halilu Envulu'Anza 105 83.33%
APC Godiya Akwashiki (withdrawn) 21 16.67%
Total votes 126 100.00%
Turnout Unknown 100.00%

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.[21] 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;[22] challenges to the result could be made on 25 May.[23][24][25][26]

In the PDP primary, Nathaniel Obin Aboki—a businessman—was nominated with just under a majority of the delegates' votes at 46.3%.

PDP primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
PDP Nathaniel Obin Aboki 50 46.30%
PDP Yusuf Alfa 32 29.63%
PDP Ahmed Steve Alaku 14 12.96%
PDP Joel Adagadzu 9 8.33%
PDP Nathaniel Aya Akwashiki 3 2.78%
PDP Yakubu Mama 0 0.00%
Total votes 108 100.00%

Campaign

After Akwashiki's decampment, pundits reiterated the strength of Envulu'Anza's candidacy but noted that the district's former APC base had split between him and Akwashiki in the SDP. The observation was in the context of wider infighting within the Nasarawa APC throughout the post-primary period.[27] In campaign analysis from December 2022, The Nation labeled Akwashiki as the frontrunner due to his crossover support from APC groups and Aboki's weak grassroots support.[28]

Results

2023 Nasarawa North Senatorial District election
Party Candidate Votes %
A Araneshri Paul John
ADC Charity Ajagabogo
APC Danladi Halilu Envulu'Anza
APGA Alfa Tsenya Yusufu
LP Musa Wen Ibrahim
NRM Yohanna Abimiku
NNPP John Masgiel Danboyi
PRP Ayuba Wakayi Umar
PDP Nathaniel Obin Aboki
SDP Godiya Akwashiki
YPP Usman Yohana
ZLP John Kyune Umaru
Total votes 100.00%
Invalid or blank votes N/A
Turnout

Nasarawa South

2023 Nasarawa South Senatorial District election
25 February 2023
 
Nominee Umaru Tanko Al-Makura Mohammed Ogoshi Onawo
Party APC PDP

Senator before election

Umaru Tanko Al-Makura
APC

Elected Senator

TBD

The Nasarawa South Senatorial District covers the local government areas of Awe, Doma, Keana, Lafia and Obi. The incumbent Umaru Tanko Al-Makura (APC), who was elected with 49.5% of the vote in 2019, 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]

In the years before the primary, the state APC underwent a dispute between Senator Abdullahi Adamu and Al-Makura; the disagreement intensified into a when Adamu became APC National Chairman in March 2022 and gained extensive power over the party at-large leading to rumours that he was planning on replacing Al-Makura with a closer ally.[29][15] However, only Al-Makura was a candidate by the primary date and he was renominated via affirmation in Lafia. In his post-primary remarks, Al-Makura pledged loyalty to the APC and thanked delegates.[30][31]

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.[21] 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;[32] challenges to the result could be made on 25 May.[23][24][25][33]

Campaign

In campaign analysis from December 2022, The Nation reporting noted that Onawo is of the larger ethnic Alago community and Al-Makura is of the smaller Gwandara ethnicity, but also categorized the election as one of few in the state to not appear to be dominated by ethnicity-based support patterns. Overall, the newspaper labeled the race as a "50/50" between Onawo and Al-Makura while noting the potential effects of Musa Abdullahi (NNPP) and Adamu Muazu Allu (SDP).[28]

Results

2023 Nasarawa South Senatorial District election
Party Candidate Votes %
A Stephen Kyari
ADC Abubakar Musa
APC Umaru Tanko Al-Makura
LP Bawa Elayo Odela
NRM Musa Aliyu Idris
NNPP Musa Agwai Abdullahi
PDP Mohammed Ogoshi Onawo
SDP Adamu Muazu Allu
ZLP Cletus Ogah
Total votes 100.00%
Invalid or blank votes N/A
Turnout

Nasarawa West

2023 Nasarawa West Senatorial District election
25 February 2023
 
Nominee TBD Umar Galadima Ahmed Aliyu Wadada
Party APC PDP SDP

Senator before election

Vacant

Elected Senator

TBD

The Nasarawa West Senatorial District covers the local government areas of Karu, Keffi, Kokona, Nasarawa and Toto. The seat is vacant as Senator Abdullahi Adamu (APC), who was re-elected with 49.6% of the vote in 2019, resigned from the Senate on 12 April 2022 to focus on his new position as the APC National Chairman.[1] Despite a constitutional stipulation that by-elections must be held after a vacancy, INEC did not schedule a by-election amid its preparations for prescheduled elections in 2022 and 2023.[34][35]

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]

Like the Nasarawa North APC primary, in the days before the primary, reports of delegate list manipulation by Adamu led to protests within the party along with a statement from the state party chairman requesting the national secretariat to refrain from further meddling. Adamu backed Shehu Tukur over former MHR Ahmed Wadada or Labaran Magaji, leading Wadada to withdraw and leave the party to obtain the SDP nomination while Magaji continued onto the APC primary.[36] On the primary date, the exercise was disrupted and later postponed due to a group of Magaji-supporting protesters decrying the altered delegate list.[37] On 6 June, a new primary was conducted at the Nasarawa State University in Keffi that resulted in a Tukur victory after results showed him defeating Magaji by a significant margin.[38] However, Magaji immediately rejected the results and launched a legal challenge based on the delegate list scandal amid further party crisis.[39][40][41] In early November, the lawsuit succeeded as a Federal High Court ruling annulled the APC primary and ordered the party to conduct a new primary with the original delegate list.[42] Although the state APC set the new primary date as 12 November, Tukur appealed the High Court ruling leading the rerun to be postponed.[43]

Annulled primary results
APC primary results[38]
Party Candidate Votes %
APC Shehu Tukur 179 61.09%
APC Labaran Magaji 114 38.91%
Total votes 293 100.00%
Invalid or blank votes 0 N/A
Turnout 293 99.66%

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.[21] 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;[44] challenges to the result could be made on 25 May.[23][24][25][45]

On the primary date, four candidates contested an indirect primary in Keffi that ended with Umar Galadima winning the nomination after results showed him defeating Bala Ahmed Aliyu by a significant margin. In his acceptance speech, Galadima thanked delegates and asked his former opponents to work with him.[46]

PDP primary results[46]
Party Candidate Votes %
PDP Umar Galadima 152 83.98%
PDP Bala Ahmed Aliyu 17 9.39%
PDP Angama Weibey Maikasuwa 12 6.63%
PDP Samuel Avreso 0 0.00%
Total votes 181 100.00%
Invalid or blank votes 0 N/A
Turnout 181 99.45%

Campaign

In campaign analysis from December 2022, The Nation reporting labeled Wadada (SDP) as the frontrunner due to his crossover support from APC groups and Galadima's weak grassroots support.[28] The next month, OrderPaper Nigeria also noted the APC primary crisis as a key weakness of its campaigning but Wadada's weakness was the relatively smaller size of the SDP.[47]

Results

2023 Nasarawa West Senatorial District election
Party Candidate Votes %
ADC Justice Jato
APC TBD
LP Tongurma Bala
NNPP Kabiru Wakili
PDP Umar Galadima
SDP Ahmed Aliyu Wadada
ZLP Sani Shehu Jibril
Total votes 100.00%
Invalid or blank votes N/A
Turnout

See also

Notes

  1. The seat of Nasarawa West is vacant due to the April 2022 resignation of Senator Abdullahi Adamu.
  2. This senator was elected as a member of the APC but switched to SDP during their term.
  3. Senator defected to new party after withdrawing from or losing their former party's primary.

References

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  2. Kozah, Bitrus. "2023: APC Senator Defects To SDP". Voice of Nigeria. Retrieved 13 September 2022.
  3. "Incumbent Sen Akwashiki withdraws from race". The Nation. News Agency of Nigeria. Retrieved 2 June 2022.
  4. Ibraheem, El Yakuq (31 May 2022). "Nasarawa North: Ex-NJC Scribe, Envuluanza, Defeats Incumbent Senator Akwashiki". Universal Reporters. Retrieved 2 June 2022.
  5. Adenekan, Samson. "Download: Full List of 2023 Presidential, Vice Presidential, NASS candidates". Premium Times. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
  6. "Primary: Ex-rep emerges PDP senatorial candidate in Nasarawa South". NNN. News Agency of Nigeria. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
  7. "Galadima wins PDP Nasarawa West senatorial ticket". Peoples Gazette. News Agency of Nigeria. 24 May 2022. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
  8. Odunsi, Wale. "2023: APC extends sale of forms, fixes dates to elect delegates". Daily Post. Retrieved 7 May 2022.
  9. Nseyen, Nsikak. "2023: APC fixes new date for governorship primaries, others". Daily Post. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
  10. Majeed, Bakare (20 April 2022). "UPDATED: 2023: APC fixes presidential forms for N100 million, adopts indirect primaries". Premium Times. Retrieved 25 April 2022.
  11. Angbulu, Stephen; Ayeni, Victor; Dada, Peter; Naku, Dennis; Ede, Raphael (21 April 2022). "Presidential primary: APC silent on zoning, Nigerians condemn N100m nomination fee". The Punch. Retrieved 25 April 2022.
  12. APC Nigeria [@OfficialAPCNg] (11 May 2022). "NEW DATES" (Tweet). Retrieved 12 May 2022 via Twitter.
  13. APC Nigeria [@OfficialAPCNg] (18 May 2022). "ADJUSTED TIMETABLE" (Tweet). Retrieved 21 May 2022 via Twitter.
  14. Omaku, Rabiu. "2023: Can Nasarawa APC Survive Adamu, Al-Makura's Cold War?". Leadership. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
  15. Oota, Linus. "Inside the cold war between Nasarawa APC gladiators". The Nation. Retrieved 10 May 2022.
  16. "Viral Video shows senator-elect stripped in Abuja". Premium Times. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
  17. "Godiya Vs Danladi: Grudge primaries with national echo". Nigerian Tribune. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
  18. Odama, David. "Nasarawa APC in disarray over delegates list". Vanguard. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
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  26. Oyeleke, Sodiq. "2023: Again, PDP adjusts dates for primaries". The Punch. Retrieved 30 July 2022.
  27. Bala, Rayyanu. "Nasarawa APC: Time To Ponder". Leadership. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
  28. Onogu, Sanni; Duku, Joel; Ihyongo, Fanen; Shittu, Sola; Rufa’i, Ahmed; Alabelewe, Abdulgafar; Saidu, Khadijat; Adenuga, David; Emmanuel, Uja; Asishana, Justina; Alao, Onimisi; Adeyemi, Kolade; Okezie, Augustine; Oota, Linus; Jimoh, Adekunle. "Senate races to watch (3)". The Nation. Retrieved 26 December 2022.
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  30. Yangida, Mohammed. "Breaking: Delegates affirm ex-Nasarawa governor, Tanko Al-Makura, as APC south senatorial candidate". Blueprint Newspaper. Retrieved 18 December 2022.
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  36. Babalola, Olukayode. "Nasarawa APC Primaries: I won't be part of illegality-Wadada". News Agency of Nigeria. Retrieved 18 December 2022.
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  38. "Tukur wins APC Nasarawa West senatorial ticket for Adamu vacant's seat". The Nation. Retrieved 18 December 2022.
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  40. Omaku, Rabiu. "Disquiet In APC Over Nasarawa West Senatorial District Race". Leadership. Retrieved 18 December 2022.
  41. Ayitogo, Nasir. "ANALYSIS: Abdullahi Adamu's alleged manipulation of primaries may haunt APC in Nasarawa". Premium Times. Retrieved 18 December 2022.
  42. Ugwu, Francis. "Court nullifies APC Nasarawa West Senatorial primary". Daily Post. Retrieved 18 December 2022.
  43. Isawade, Isa. "APC postpones re-run primary election in Nasarawa". P.M. News. Retrieved 18 December 2022.
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