10 Biggest Political Losers In 2023

Some Nigerian politicians who started the year with high hopes of achieving their political aspirations faced disappointment following the outcome of the 2023 election and appointment into the President’s cabinet.

While hundreds of politicians lost the election to their opponents, some losses carried a more significant weight than others.

1. Atiku Abubakar: The former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, has failed six shots at the presidency as he came second in the presidential election held on February 25, 2023.

Atiku challenged the election outcome at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT) and Supreme Court but failed as the court dismissed his petitions.

2. Peter Obi: The former Governor of Anambra State was phenomenal in the 2023 election with his first time playing on the national front. However, his presidential ambition could not sail through

Peter Obi came third in the polls, scoring 6,101,533 votes, but most of his supporters did not accept the election result. Like Atiku, Obi also challenged Tinubu’s victory but failed.

3. Samuel Ortom: Ortom, a vocal figure of the five aggrieved governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) known as the G5, lost his election bid for Benue North West Senatorial District in the National Assembly to his All Progressives Congress (APC) counterpart in the district, Titus Zam.

4. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi: Ugwuanyi, a former governor and another member of the G5, lost his bid to represent Enugu North Senatorial District in the National Assembly to Okechukwu Ezea of the Labour Party.

5. Ishaku Darius: Like the earlier mentioned governors, Ishaku also failed to ride on the power of incumbency to win elections into the Senate, which was considered a retirement home for them (Governor).

The two-term PDP governor lost his senatorial ambition to his APC counterpart in the district, David Jimkuta, who received 85,415 votes to defeat Ishaku, who received 45,708 votes.

6. Ben Ayade: The former governor who had hoped to return to the Senate after completing his eight-year tenure as the governor was defeated by Jarigbe Agom-Jarigbe of the PDP, who received 76,145 votes, while Ayade polled 56,595.

7. Chimaroke Nnamani: The former governor who had spent at least two terms in the Red Chamber was defeated by Kelvin Chukwu, of the Labour Party (LP).

8. Yobe Speaker, Ahmed Mirwa Lawan: Lawan Musa, a 35-year-old candidate of PDP, ended the 6th term bid of Yobe State House of Assembly Speaker, Honourable Ahmed Lawan Mirwa of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

9. Nasir El-Rufai: The former governor of Kaduna State was nominated by President Tinubu to serve as federal minister, but the Senate rejected him during screening over issues bordering on security.

El-Rufai’s nomination was withdrawn after informing Tinubu that he was no longer interested in the position again, nominating his former commissioner for his replacement.

However, sources later claimed that some political bigwigs sponsored the security report against El-Rufai.

10. Maryam Shetty: In August, President Bola Tinubu withdrew the nomination of Maryam ‘Shetty’ Shettima as a ministerial nominee from Kano State.

In a letter sent to the Senate, the President replaced Shettima’s name with Dr Mairiga Mahmud without stating the reason for the withdrawal.

It was learnt that some bigwigs in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) went against her nomination.