N/Assembly: APC forms majority as Saraki, Akpabio,62 senators,151 reps fail to return

The ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, has 64 senators-elect so far, while the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has only 41.  Another political party, the Young Progressives Party (YPP) has one senator-elect as the nation awaits the inauguration of the 9th National Assembly in June.

INEC has declared 106 senators-elect so far. Three Senate seats are yet to be concluded from Plateau, Kogi and Imo states.

No fewer than 64 serving senators and 151 members of the House of Representatives will not be in the 9th National Assembly, according to Daily Trust findings.

Only 45 senators and about 209 members are returning to the federal legislature, according to the results of the elections released so far by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Fifteen of the newly elected senators are former state governors.

Forty-two of the 64 non-returning senators lost out in October last year at their parties’ primaries. The remaining 22 were defeated at the Saturday’s National Assembly elections.

For the House of Reps, ‎the number of non-returning lawmakers represents 41.9 percent of the 360-member chamber. The number is expected to rise as election results from some constituencies are yet to be declared.

However, the results released so far showed that the APC got over 200‎ members so far in the House, while the PDP has a little over 100.

Among the big losers is Senate President Bukola Saraki who has been in the Senate since 2011. He was defeated by Ibrahim Yahaya Oloriegbe of the APC. Saraki was Kwara state governor between 2003 and 2011.

Also, a former governor of Akwa Ibom State, Godswill Akpabio, who had served as Minority Leader before his defection to the APC last August, lost his return bid. He was defeated by Christopher Ekpenyong of PDP. Akpabio was Akwa Ibom governor between 2007 and 2015.

Another former governor, George Akume, who has been at the Senate since 2007, lost to a serving member of the House of Reps, Emmanuel Yisa Orker-Jev.‎ Current Minority Leader Biodun Olujimi from Ekiti State lost to Dayo Adeyeye of the APC.

Two governors – Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo and Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo of Gombe – contested to come to the Senate but lost.

The results released so far by INEC showed that Senator Mao Ohuabunwa of PDP lost to Orji Uzor Kalu of APC in Abia North, while ‎Rafiu Ibrahim (PDP) lost to Lola Ashiru (APC) in Kwara South, with ‎Andy Ubah (APC) losing to Ifeanyi Ubah (YPP) in Anambra South.

Others are‎ ‎Shehu Sani (PRP) who lost to Uba Sani (APC) in Kaduna Central;‎ Suleiman Hunkuyi (PDP) lost to Suleiman Abdu Kwari (APC) Kaduna North;‎ Barnabas Gemade (SDP) lost to Gabriel Suswam (PDP) in Benue;‎ Ubale Shittu (PDP) lost to Ibrahim Hassan Hadeija (APC) in Jigawa.

The results also showed that ‎Binta Masi Garba (APC) lost to Ishaku Cliff (PDP) in Adamawa North;‎ Tayo Alasoadura (APC) lost to Ayo Akinyelure of (PDP) in Ondo Central;‎ Ibrahim Danbaba (PDP) lost to Abubakar Shehu Tambuwal (APC) for Sokoto South;‎ Victor Umeh (APGA) lost to Uche Ekwunife (PDP) in Anambra Central‎.

Also, Nelson Effiong (APC) lost to Akon Eyakenyi (PDP) in Akwa Ibom South; ‎Ahmed Ogembe (PDP) lost to Yakubu Oseni (APC) in Kogi Central;‎ Suleiman Adokwe (PDP) lost to Umaru Tanko Almakura (APC) in Nasarawa North;‎ Mohammed Hassan (PDP) lost to Ibrahim Mohammed Bomo (APC) in Yobe South;‎ Duro Faseyi (PDP) lost to Olubunmi Adetunbi (APC) in Ekiti North;‎ Monsurat Sunmonu (ADC) lost to Teslim Folarin (APC) in Oyo, and Ahmad MoAllayidi (APC) lost to Binos Yero (PDP) in Adamawa South‎.

Daily Trust reports that from the results released so far, APC has a simple majority of 64 senators, higher than the 61 overall senators the party got in 2015.

Though APC has a comfortable majority, it still lacks the two-thirds majority, which is 73 senators to pass major legislation.

On its part, PDP got 39 senators so far against the 48 overall it got in 2015. The YPP has one. There are chances that both APC and PDP may get additional seats from the three undeclared Senate seats.