Buhari says recent National Assembly elections should serve as a lesson to Nigeria's elite

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has urged Nigeria's political elite to take a cue from the fact that as many as 10 sitting and former state governors failed in their bids to get elected into the senate in the last election.

On February 25, Nigerians elected a president and members of the National Assembly and then on March 18 went to the polls to elect 30 governors and the members of the state houses of assemblies in all 36 states of the federation. However, the contests were not the fait accompli elections they usually were as there were a lot of high profile casualties in all five polls.

In the National Assembly elections in particular, the fight to get into the senate and the House of Representatives was very tough. Reflecting on the polls yesterday while hosting to the newly-installed Emir of Dutse Alhaji Muhammad Hamim Nuhu Sunusi at the State House in Abuja, President Buhari said the elections proved that there was no more easy route to power.

He described the Nigerian polity and democracy as growing and getting more sophisticated because voters now realise that they have a say when it comes to the choice of their leaders. According to President Buhari, the stunning outcome of 10 governors failing to make it to the senate was a reflection that there is no longer a guaranteed route to power as the voting population is truly the king when it comes to elections.

President Buhari said: “It is a testament to the maturity of our democracy and to the amazing sophistication of the voter. What shocked me was that the ordinary citizen who is usually underrated has made the point of his political understanding of things.

“Assumption is always that you are governor for eight years and you go to the senate to crown the career. No one should underrate the Nigerian voter anymore, politics will be more difficult, henceforth.”

Among the governors who lost their senatorial bids were Samuel Ortom of Benue State, Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State, Darius Ishaku of Taraba State,  Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State and Ben Ayade of Cross River State. Others were Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State and Simon Lalong of Plateau State.