At least 52 senators in the 10th National Assembly will leave office at the end of their tenure in June 2027 after missing out on their parties’ final list of candidates for next year’s National Assembly elections.
This follows the release by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of the final list of candidates cleared for the January 16, 2027 presidential and National Assembly polls.
A review of the list shows that although political parties submitted roughly 57 serving senators for re-election, 52 others were excluded — meaning they will not return for the 11th National Assembly unless the list is amended under the Electoral Act.
The exclusions were not driven solely by failed primaries. Several senators opted to pursue governorship ambitions instead, while others stepped aside as part of political deals with their state governors.
In Ogun State, Senator Ademola Solomon Olamilekan, who chairs the Senate Committee on Appropriations, will not seek re-election after clinching the APC governorship ticket. Former Governor Gbenga Daniel also lost out on the Ogun East senatorial seat to incumbent Governor Dapo Abiodun.
In Nasarawa State, Senator Aliyu Wadada, former Chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Accounts, is running for governor on the APC platform. A similar arrangement played out in Imo State, where Senator Osita Izunaso ceded his Imo West ticket to Governor Hope Uzodinma. Governors in Yobe and Gombe states also took over senatorial tickets from sitting senators.
In Sokoto State, former Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal will exit the Senate after failing to secure a return ticket. The former PDP presidential aspirant reportedly stepped aside for a younger candidate under a power-sharing deal within his current party, the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Meanwhile, 57 serving senators secured tickets and remain in contention for the 11th Assembly. In Lagos, Senators Adetokunbo Abiru, Adebule Idiat Oluranti and Sanni Eshilokun retained their seats for Lagos East, West and Central. All three Ekiti senators — Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele, Yemi Adaramodu and Fasuyi Cyril Oluwole — also got return tickets, as did Senate President Godswill Akpabio and fellow Akwa Ibom senators Aniekan Bassey and Ekong Sampson. All three Borno senators, including Mohammed Ali Ndume, made the list as well.
Despite the final list’s publication, changes are still possible under the Electoral Act 2026. Section 31 allows a candidate to withdraw via written notice and sworn affidavit, which the party must forward to INEC at least 90 days before the election. Section 33 permits substitution only in cases of death or withdrawal. INEC is required to publish the names and addresses of all nominated candidates at least 60 days before election day — leaving a window in which some current line-ups could still change ahead of the January 16, 2027 polls.
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