2027: 75 Senators, Reps Set To Miss Next National Assembly

Barring last-minute changes, about 75 familiar faces will go missing in both the Senate and House of Representatives chambers at the expiration of the 10th National Assembly on June 13, 2027.

The development followed the release of the final list of candidates for the January 16, 2027, National Assembly elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the weekend.

In the Senate, 52 lawmakers, and in the House of Representatives, 23 lawmakers, whose names are absent from the list, are expected to vacate the hallowed chambers of the National Assembly, unless subsequent withdrawals, substitutions or other developments permitted by law alter the current configuration.

The development is based on several factors, including defeat at party primaries, replacements through primary appeals, withdrawal from the race for personal reasons or political exigency, contests for other political offices, among others.

In some states, for instance, sitting governors have emerged as major beneficiaries of the scramble for senatorial tickets, displacing serving lawmakers in the process.

For Ogun State, former governor Gbenga Daniel will not return to the Senate for Ogun East, following the emergence of Governor Dapo Abiodun as the candidate for the senatorial seat.
Also in Ogun State, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, will not return to the Senate after securing the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship ticket.

In Nasarawa State, former Chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Accounts, Senator Aliyu Wadada, has equally shifted his political focus to the governorship after securing the APC ticket for the 2027 election.

The battle for senatorial tickets also claimed a prominent casualty in Imo State, where Governor Hope Uzodimma took over the Imo West senatorial ticket previously held by Senator Osita Izunaso, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Capital Market.

The development effectively ended Izunaso’s bid to return to the Senate under the current arrangement.
Similar scenarios played out in Yobe and Gombe States, among others, where serving governors moved into the senatorial contests and secured tickets previously associated with incumbent lawmakers.

In Sokoto State, former Senator Aminu Waziri Tambuwal is also among the senators who will not return to the chamber.

Tambuwal stepped down from the senatorial contest to give way to a younger aspirant under a power-sharing arrangement within his current political platform, the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

Another instance is the Senator representing Yobe East District, Musa Mustapha, who stepped down for Governor Mai Mala Buni, who emerged unopposed as the APC senatorial candidate.

Leading the House of Representatives lawmakers whose faces may not be seen beyond June 13, 2027, are the Majority Leader, Hon. Julius Ihonvbere from Edo, who lost at the primaries; former Deputy Majority Leader, Peter Akpatason (Edo); incumbent Deputy Chief Whip, Isiaka Adegboyega (Ogun); and the highest-ranking member (1999-2027), Hon. Nicholas Mutu from Delta State.

Others are Minority Leader, Fredrick Agbedi (Bayelsa); Minority Whip, Hon. Mansur Manu Soro (Bauchi); Deputy Minority Leader, Hon. Abdussamad Dasuki (Sokoto); member representing Ukwa East/West of Abia State, Hon. Chris Nkwonta; Guyuk/Shelleng Federal Constituency of Adamawa State lawmaker, Hon. Kobis Ari Thimnu; Hon. Obiageli Orogbu of Awka North/South in Anambra; Hon. Marie Ebikake (Bayelsa); and Hon. Zainab Gimba (Borno).

They also include Deputy Chairman, Appropriations, Hon. Iduma Igariwey (Ebonyi); Hon. Ngozi Okolie (Delta); Hon. Matthew Nwogu (Imo); Chairman, Women Affairs, Hon. Kafilat Ogbara (Lagos); Hon. Jonathan Gaza Gbefwi (Nasarawa); Hon. Daniel Asama Ago (Plateau); Hon. Alfred Iliya Ajang (Plateau); Hon. Awaji-Inombek Abiante (Rivers); and Hon. Khadija Bukar Abba Ibrahim (Yobe), a former minister.

Withdrawal, Substitution Offer Last Hope

Despite their exclusion from the final list, the political fate of the 52 senators may not yet be completely sealed.

Investigations showed that provisions of the Electoral Act dealing with the withdrawal and substitution of candidates could provide a narrow window for some of the affected lawmakers to return to the race.

Section 31 of the Electoral Act 2026 provides for the withdrawal of candidates. Under the provision, a candidate may withdraw by submitting a written notice, accompanied by a sworn affidavit, personally to the political party that nominated the candidate.

The political party is required to transmit the withdrawal and sworn affidavit to INEC not later than 90 days before the election.

Section 33, which deals with substitution, provides that a political party shall not change or substitute a candidate whose name has already been submitted under Section 29, except in cases of death or withdrawal by the candidate, subject to the conditions stipulated by law.

The provisions therefore create a limited legal window through which a vacant ticket arising from a lawful withdrawal could potentially lead to a substitution.

The Electoral Act separately requires INEC to publish the full names and addresses of all candidates standing nominated at least 60 days before election day under Section 32(1).

With the presidential and National Assembly elections scheduled for January 16, 2027, political parties still have more than 120 days within which changes permitted under the law could be made.