No fewer than 10 state governors and ex-governors are actively working to replace incumbent senators ahead of the 2027 general elections, in a sweeping political realignment reshaping Nigeriaβs legislative landscape.
The sitting governors, whose tenure will expire by May 2027, are leveraging their grip on the party structures in their states to secure Senate tickets largely through βconsensusβ arrangements.
At least 12 of the 36 incumbent governors are already serving their second and final terms in office. Of that number, 10 will complete their constitutionally mandated eight years on May 29, 2027, setting the stage for a high-stakes political transition that is already unsettling party structures nationwide.
Eight of the affected governors are members of the ruling All Progressives Congress. Seyi Makinde of Oyo State belongs to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, while Bala Muhammed of Bauchi is affiliated with the Allied Peoples Movement.
Those completing their tenure in 2027 include AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq (Kwara), Abdullahi Sule (Nasarawa), Ahmadu Fintiri (Adamawa), Babagana Zulum (Borno), Muhammadu Yahaya (Gombe), Mai Mala Buni (Yobe), Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos), and Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), alongside Makinde and Bala Mohammed.
Although Governors Douye Diri of Bayelsa and Hope Uzodimma of Imo will also finish their second terms, their exit dates fall in January and February 2028, respectively, due to off-cycle elections. Yet, their longer timelines have not excluded them from early succession and Senate calculations.
Last month, President Bola Tinubu, during a meeting with the leadership of the National Assembly, rebuffed lobbying efforts by the lawmakers to secure automatic return tickets for the ruling partyβs legislators ahead of the 2027 general elections. Instead, he reaffirmed the authority of state governors over the selection of candidates in their respective states.