The 2023 National Assembly Election which took place on Saturday, February 25 has come and gone. THEWILL has compiled a list of politicians’ children who emerged winners and losers in the election
The Winners
Olamijuwonlo Alao-Akala
Former Governor of Oyo State, Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala, might be dead and long gone, but his political influence and good will is still felt across the state till today. This has rubbed off positively on his first son, Olamijuwonlo, who was declared winner of the election in Ogbomosho North/South/ Oriire Federal Constituency by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC. The young Alao-Akala, a former Chairman of Ogbomosho North Local Government Area, contested the election on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, polled 33,268 votes to beat his close rival, Olufemi Onireti of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, who scored 27,126 votes.
THEWILL recalls that a point in his political career, Olamijuwonlo’s father had to dump his ambition to contest as Governor of Oyo State on the platform of the Action Democratic Party (ADP) to form an alliance with the governorship candidate of the APC in 2019, Adebayo Adelabu. It was after that move that Olamijuwonlo was reinstated as chairman of Ogbomoso North LGA following his suspension for anti-party activities in 2019.
Bello El-Rufai
The controversial son of Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State won the election in Kaduna North Federal Constituency on the platform of the APC. He defeated the incumbent, Samaila Suleiman, the lawmaker representing the constituency at the National Assembly to win the ticket. Bello scored a total of 51,052 votes to defeat the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP candidate who pulled 34,808 votes. Voters who ensured that Bello emerged victorious must have forgotten his infamous rape tweet in 2020. He had threatened to set up his friends to gang-rape a Twitter user’s mother while also insulting the Igbo ethnic group in the tweet. His habitual insults and disrespectful attitude had become a subject of discourse on social media before he eventually apologised for his outburst. He has not stopped courting controversy like a second skin since then. Hopefully he turns a new leaf now that he has been elected a lawmaker in Nigeria.
Olumide Osoba
Olumide Osoba is the son of a former Governor of Ogun State, Chief Olusegun Osoba. He won Saturday’s election in Obafemi/Owode/Odeda/Abeokuta-North Federal Constituency on the platform of the APC.
The young Osoba had a total of 43, 446 votes to defeat his closest rival, Yemi Coker of the PDP who scored 19, 699 votes. His victory is a testament to the fact that his father gave him good training in the game of politics well enough to have twice successfully represented the constituency in the House of Representatives. He must have also impressed his constituents so well that they didn’t mind voting him to represent them a third time.
Tokunbo Abiru
Tokunbo is a former bank chief and one of the sons of Mubasiru Akanbi Olatunji Abiru, a prominent politician of the Second Republic. He emerged winner of the election in Lagos East Senatorial District on the platform of the APC, scoring 178,646 votes to beat his closest opponent, Akobada Nicholas Adekunle of the PDP, who got 80,249 votes.
Abiru’s constituents must have been pleased with his performance in his first term to give him an opportunity to return to the Senate.
Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu
Mrs Ibori-Suenu, daughter of former Governor of Delta State, James Ibori, floored the incumbent, Ben Rolands Igbakpa of the New Nigerian People Party, NNPP, to win the Federal House of Representatives Seat for Ethiope Constituency on the platform of the PDP. She polled 20,814 votes, while Igbakpa scored 8,901 votes. Ibori-Suenu had spent two terms in the Delta State House of Assembly before running for the Federal House of Representatives in the same constituency. The lawmaker relied on her father, who is considered a demi-god of sorts in the politics of Delta State, to achieve this feat.
Joshua Gana
He is the eldest son of a former Minister of Information, Professor Jerry Gana. He emerged winner of the election in Lavun/Mokwa/Edati Federal Constituency in Niger State on the platform of the PDP with 47,942 votes, defeating the incumbent, Hon Abdullahi Usman Gbatamangi who scored 40,002 votes.
Joshua Gana is the founder of Supertek Nigeria limited, a power generation and agriculture company that provides energy and agricultural products. He owns two independent power plants in Nigeria.
Adegboyega Adefarati
The son of former Ondo State Governor, late Chief Adebayo Adefarati, emerged winner of the election in Akoko Southwest and Southeast Federal Constituency. He scored 25,872 votes to beat his PDP rival who scored 18,403 votes.
Adegboyega’s background as a grassroots politician obviously contributed to his success at the poll. He had contested twice for a seat in the House of Reps on the platform of the Action Congress of Nigeria, CAN, in 2011 and 2015, but lost on both occasions. He was appointed by President Umaru Yar’dua as a Board Member of the National Institute of Hotel and Tourism between 2009 and 2011. He was also the Coordinator of the Akeredolu Campaign Organisation for Akoko South-East/West Federal Constituency in the 2012 Governorship Election and subsequently, Director-General, Ondo North Senatorial District, Akeredolu Campaign Platform, 2016 and later, Commissioner for Agriculture in Ondo State.
Blessing Onuh
Blessing Onuh is the daughter of former Senate President, David Mark. She won the election in Otukpo/Ohimini Federal Constituency on the platform of the APC, polling 29,031 votes to defeat her closest rival, Alex Ogbe of the PDP who scored 21, 741 votes. This is the second time she has emerged victorious at the parliamentary poll. The first time was on the platform of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA.
It is obvious that along the line, Blessing learnt the rudiments of politics from her politician father, which clearly enabled her to hold political positions from an early age. For instance, she was appointed Special Assistant to the Minister of State for Education in 2005. Having performed creditably well, she got appointed as a Special Assistant to the Minister of Inter-Governmental, Local Government and Special Duties. While still holding the post, she served as an Acting Chairman, Federal Capital Territory Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy. She was then appointed Secretary for the Social Welfare Secretariat in the Federal Capital Territory Administration.
In 2018, she decided to make her debut in the mainstream political sphere. She contested for a position in the House of Representatives on the platform of the PDP in Benue State, but lost in the primaries to her uncle, Johnson Ahubi. She later defected to APGA and contested for election which she won to become a member of the House of Representative representing Otukpo/Ohimini federal constituency. In February 2021, Onuh defected to the APC, citing a crisis in Benue State APGA as the reason.
Akeem Adeyemi
He is one of the sons of the late Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi. Akeem, who has been a lawmaker for almost a decade, was reelected for the third time to represent Atiba/Afijio/Oyo East/Oyo West Federal Constituency on the platform of the APC.
He was first elected to the House of Reps in 2015 and re-elected in 2019. The prince must have performed excellently well to be able to secure the support of the people of Oyo State for almost a decade.
Adeyemi scored a total of 34,822 votes to emerge winner of the election. He was the Chairman of Atiba Local Government Area between 2007 and 2010. He also served as caretaker chairman of the same LGA between 2011 and 2014.
Sadiq Ango-Abdullahi
Sadiq is the son of the Chairman of the Northern Elders Forum, NEF, Professor Ango Abdullahi. His mother was the late Senator Aisha Jummai Alhassan, also known as Mama Taraba.
Sadiq, a victim of the recent Abuja-Kaduna train terrorist attack, was declared winner of the election in Sabon-Gari Federal Constituency of Kaduna State with 33,616 votes, defeating the incumbent, Malam Garba Datti, a four-term house member who contested on the platform of the APC and polled 31,737 votes. Sadiq contested the election on the platform of the PDP.
The losers
Babajide Ibrahim Obanikoro
It looks like this might just be the end of the Obanikoro political dynasty. First, the patriarch, Musiliu Babatunde Obanikoro, a former Minister of State of Defence was defeated by Idiat Adebule, a former Deputy Governor of Lagos State in the APC National Assembly primary. And now, his son, Babajide who was seeking a return to the House of Reps to represent Eti-Osa constituency on the platform of the APC lost to the Labour Party candidate, Thaddeus Attah.
Obanikoro came third with a total of 16, 901 votes. Babajide, who couldn’t accept defeat, held a press conference to complain about the conduct of the election. Having initially lost the party’s primary to Oyekanmi Elegushi, brother of Oba Saheed Elegushi of Ikate Kingdom a few months ago, he had failed to read the handwriting on the wall. Elegushi had beaten him by two votes to emerge winner. He was forced to relinquish his position to Babajide after the party prevailed on him to do so. Now it seems the opportunity has been wasted.
Omosede Igbinedion
Omosede is one of the daughters of the Esama of Benin kingdom, Chief Gabriel Igbinedion and sibling to Lucky Igbinedion, a former governor of Edo State. She put the necessary machinery in place to ensure her return to the House of Representatives to represent Ovia Federal Constituency in Edo State on the platform of the PDP a second time. Unfortunately, her political journey was cut short by her defeat at the poll by the incumbent, Hon Dennis Idahosa of the APC. This is Ms Igbinedion’s second defeat at the poll by the same opponent. The first was in 2019 when she was seeking re-election into the House of Representatives. Not satisfied with the outcome of the election, she had approached the Election Petition Tribunal in Benin City alleging that Idahosa was not qualified to contest because he was a citizen of Canada. She also claimed that he did not resign his appointment with the Federal Ministry of Environment as a member of the board of National Agency for Great Greenwall.
Not satisfied, Omosede added in her petition that there was over-voting, forgery and falsification of results during the election. Her petition was thrown out for lack of proof. Alhough she accepted her dilemma and emerged PDP’s candidate in 2023, Idahosa still trounced her at the polls, scoring 19,851 votes over her was 18, 396 votes.
Chinedum Orji
In spite of his position as Speaker of the 7th Abia State House of Assembly, Chinedum Orji, son of Sen. Theodore Orji, former governor of Abia State, lost the opportunity to represent Ikwuano/Umuahia Federal Constituency in the House of Reps. He was trounced at the poll by the Labour Party candidate, Chief Obi Aguocha, who won the election, polling a total of 48,199 votes. Orji got 35,196 votes.
Umar Ganduje
Controversial Governor of Kano State, Abdullahi Ganduje’s plan to build a political dynasty using his son, Umar, has backfired as the latter was trounced in the election. He was defeated by the incumbent, Tijjani Abudlkadir Jobe, the candidate of the NNPP.
Umar was hoping to represent Dawakin Tofa/Tofa/Rimingado Federal Constituency, but having polled 44, 809 votes against Jobe’s 52, 456 votes, that dream died naturally and his political journey was cut short even before it began.
Adeola Azeez
Although Adeola Azeez is the daughter of Yoruba elder statesman, Pa Ayo Adebanjo, not even her father’s influence could get her a seat in the House of Reps to represent Ijebu Central Federal Constituency on the platform of the Social Democratic Party, SDP. The former Deputy Country Representative, Nigeria, Deutsche-Bank was defeated at the poll by the APC candidate, Barrister Femi Ogunbanwo.
A seasoned banker and a onetime Chairperson of Women in Management, Business and Public Service, WIMBIZ, a non-governmental organisation that aims to promote women’s entrepreneurship and advancement across all sectors, Azeez had hoped to use her wealth of experience to bring developmental changes to her constituency. Unfortunately it looks like she will have to wait it out for another four years to try again.
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