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VENO tv: POLITICS 2027: BEHOLD! GOVERNORS, EX-GOVERNORS EYE SENATE AS FAYOSE KNOCKS POLITICAL RECYCLING Is the Senate becoming a retirement home for former governors?
Date: 27-08-26

By Kayode Adoide

As Nigeria moves closer to the 2027 general elections, the growing number of serving and former governors seeking seats in the Senate has again raised questions about political recycling and the dominance of established politicians in the country’s democratic institutions.
The development is particularly noticeable in the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, where seven serving governors secured senatorial tickets during the party’s May 2026 primaries.

They include AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara, Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa, Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe, Mai Mala Buni of Yobe, Dapo Abiodun of Ogun and Hope Uzodimma of Imo.
In addition, several former governors also secured APC Senate tickets, including Godswill Akpabio, Orji Uzor Kalu, Adams Oshiomhole, Ifeanyi Okowa, Aliyu Wamakko, Gabriel Suswam, Ramalan Yero, Yahaya Bello, Adamu Aliero, Simon Lalong, Ibrahim Shekarau and Abubakar Sani Bello.
The emerging political arrangement has revived an old Nigerian question:
Is the Senate gradually becoming a retirement home for former governors?
Already, more than a dozen former state governors are serving in the present Senate, demonstrating just how powerful the former-governor bloc has become in the Red Chamber.
Supporters of the trend may argue that former governors possess administrative experience, political networks and an understanding of government that could benefit legislative work.
Critics, however, see things differently.
They argue that the continuous movement of politicians from Government Houses to the Senate limits opportunities for fresh political leadership and encourages the recycling of the same political class from one powerful public office to another.
Businessman and social commentator Prince Isaac Fayose has also intensified his criticism of Nigeria's political establishment ahead of 2027, recently urging Nigerians to scrutinise powerful political actors and questioning the continued dominance of politicians who have faced various public allegations.

The bigger question, therefore, goes beyond whether a former governor has the constitutional right to contest for Senate.
They certainly do.
Nigeria's Constitution does not reserve the Senate for former governors, nor does it prevent qualified former governors from contesting. The Senate is supposed to represent Nigerians from the country's 109 senatorial districts.

But when governors complete eight years in office only to move almost immediately to the National Assembly — while former governors already occupying Senate seats seek additional terms — Nigerians are entitled to ask whether political office is becoming an endless revolving door.
Must every former governor become a senator?
Where is the space for new leaders, professionals, young politicians, women and grassroots representatives?
The ultimate decision rests with the electorate.
Former governors who believe they still have something meaningful to offer must convince voters on the strength of their records, ideas and legislative capacity — not merely on their political influence or control of party structures.
Nigeria cannot expect different outcomes if elections continually return the same political actors without demanding accountability, competence and measurable performance.
The Senate is not constitutionally a house for former governors.
But unless voters demand genuine competition and political parties open their structures to new voices, the growing number of former governors heading for the Red Chamber will continue to make that description increasingly difficult to dismiss.
The question before Nigerians in 2027 is simple: experience or recycling?

The key factual correction is that the whole original list should not be described as APC candidates. Current reporting confirms seven serving governors and 12 former governors secured APC Senate tickets. The Constitution sets general eligibility requirements for Senate candidates; it does not give former governors any special entitlement to Senate seats.

Also, Isaac Fayose has recently criticised the APC's 2027 political structure and urged voters to scrutinise its leading figures, but I would avoid putting the exact “former governors/looters” statement in quotation marks as his unless you have the original video or post confirming those exact words.

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