…Akpabio, Barau, Bamidele, Kalu, Ndume, Kingibe among 57 incumbents seeking return
The final list of senatorial candidates released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the January 2027 polls has shown that 52 of the 109 current members of the Senate will not be on the ballot, effectively bringing their tenure in the National Assembly to an end next June.
According to Egalitarian Voice, the development followed the release by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, of its final list of candidates cleared to contest the January 16, 2027 presidential and National Assembly elections.
However, the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, his Deputy, Barau Jibrin and Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, are among the serving Senators who made the INEC’s final list of candidates for the 2027 Senatorial Elections across the 109 senatorial districts in the country.
INEC published the Certified True Copy of candidates on Saturday, confirming those cleared to contest the National Assembly elections.
A review of the list indicates that 57 serving senators made it through their party primaries and were validated by the commission to seek another term in the 11th Senate.
The remaining 52 were left out, either because they lost their party tickets, opted to contest other positions, or stepped aside for other interests within their parties.
Findings show that a significant number of the outgoing lawmakers are not exiting solely due to primary defeats. Several are moving on to pursue governorship ambitions, while others withdrew to accommodate governors or powerful party stakeholders seeking the senate seats.
In Ogun State for example, Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, will not return to Ogun West after clinching the APC governorship ticket. In the same state, former governor Gbenga Daniel will also exit the Senate as the Ogun East ticket went to Governor Dapo Abiodun.
In Nasarawa, Senator Aliyu Wadada, who earlier chaired the Senate Public Accounts Committee, is leaving the Red Chamber to contest the 2027 governorship election on the APC platform.
The Imo West seat is also changing hands. Senator Osita Izunaso, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Capital Market, will not return after the ticket was ceded to Governor Hope Uzodinma. Similar arrangements played out in Yobe and Gombe, where incumbent governors took over senatorial tickets in their states.
In Sokoto, former governor and ex-Senate Minority Leader Aminu Waziri Tambuwal will also bow out. Party sources said he stepped down for a younger candidate under a power-sharing arrangement within the African Democratic Congress.
Despite the high turnover, the list shows that some states will retain their full complement of serving senators.
All three Lagos senators made the cut: Adetokunbo Abiru for Lagos East, Idiat Adebule for Lagos West, and Wasiu Sanni for Lagos Central.
In Ekiti, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele for Ekiti Central, Senate Spokesman Yemi Adaramodu for Ekiti South, and Cyril Fasuyi for Ekiti North all secured their party tickets.
Akwa Ibom will also return its three senators: Senate President Godswill Akpabio for Akwa Ibom North West, Aniekan Bassey for Akwa Ibom North East, and Ekong Sampson for Akwa Ibom South.
Borno is another state where the entire senatorial delegation will be seeking re-election, including Chief Whip Mohammed Ali Ndume for Borno South.
Other prominent incumbents on the list include Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin for Kano North, Ireti Kingibe for FCT on the ADC platform, and Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan for Kogi Central on the PDP platform.
Legal experts note that the door is not completely shut for some of the 52 senators not on the list. Under Sections 31 and 33 of the Electoral Act 2026, a candidate may withdraw with a written notice and sworn affidavit not later than 90 days to the election, after which a party may substitute the candidate only in cases of death or withdrawal.
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With the Presidential and National Assembly elections fixed for January 16, 2027, political parties still have a window of over 120 days to effect changes if necessary.
INEC is also required by Section 32(1) of the Act to publish the final particulars of all nominated candidates at least 60 days before polling day.
The commission’s publication has now set the stage for what promises to be one of the most competitive senatorial contests in recent years, with a mix of veteran lawmakers, former governors
and fresh faces jostling for the 109 seats.
