The ruling APC and Labour share equal number of Senate seats as they conquer Southeast in the 25 February elections.
APC and Labour won six seats apiece in the region, displacing the hitherto dominant PDP in a surprising outcome.
Three parties shared the remaining three seats, PDP (Enugu), APGA (Abia), and Young Peoples Party, YPP (Anambra).
APC equally showed that its victory was no fluke as the party retained its two governorship slots with its 28 March triumph in Ebonyi. Governorship elections held in three of the five states – Abia, Ebonyi and Enugu.
Three other parties – PDP, Labour, and APC – won the three governor slots in Enugu, Abia and Ebonyi respectively.
In particular, the 2023 general elections turned out to be a rout for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), knocking down what remained of its bastion from the tsunami of 2015.
Women, history and Abaribe
Unfortunately, the region showed a disappointing disregard for women as its two Senators – Uche Lilian Ekwunife and Stella Adaeze Odua – were defeated. Both currently represent Anambra in the Senate.
Ekwunife was placed in third position behind the winner, Sen. Victor Umeh (LP), and runner up Ferdinand Dozie Nwankwo (APGA).
Oduah, on the other hand, placed second behind the winner, LP’s Tony Nwoye, who is going to Abuja as a freshman.
Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe showed strength in Abia by retaining his seat after crossing from PDP to APGA. PDP denied him the slot before he jumped ship.
The super-ranked Abaribe (Abia South), is making a fifth appearance in the Upper Chamber. His reelection gives him an opportunity to equal the records of longest serving senators such as David Mark (1999-2019), Ahmed Lawan (2007 to present), Ike Ekweremadu (2003-2023), and James Manager (2003-2023).
Abaribe will become one of the institutional memories of the Senate, together with Borno Senators and rivals, Lawan and Ali Ndume.
This situation leaves a newcomer, Osita Ngwu (Enugu West), as the only PDP Senator coming into the 10th Assembly from the Southeast.
List of Southeast Senators-elect, 2023-2027
“The Tenth National Assembly Senate will have no reason to deny the Southeast a chance to produce its president,” an analyst told Enugu Metro.
“APC will have no justification for denying the prize to the Southeast when the party posted such a spectacular result in the Region,” he said.
He explained that there will be three (3) ranking Senators from the Southeast to choose from, two of them from the APC.
The APC ranked Senators are former Governor Orji Uzo Kalu (APC, Abia North), Osita Izunaso (APC, Imo West).
The outlier is Senator Abaribe who is of the PDP and unlikely to feature in the nominations.
| S/N | DISTRICT | WINNER | PARTY | GENDER |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Abia Central | Darlington Nwokocha | LP | M |
| 2 | Abia North | Orji Uzor Kalu | APC | M |
| 3 | Abia South | Enyinnaya Harcourt Abaribe | APGA | M |
| 4 | Anambra South | Ifeanyi Ubah | YPP | M |
| 5 | Anambra Central | Victor Chukwunonyelu Umeh | LP | M |
| 6 | Anambra North | Tony Okechukwu Nwoye | LP | M |
| 7 | Ebonyi Central | Kenneth Emeka Eze | APC | M |
| 8 | Ebonyi North | Onyeka Peter Nwebonyi | APC | M |
| 9 | Ebonyi south | Nweze David Umahi | APC | M |
| 10 | Enugu East | Kelvin Chizoba Chukwu | LP | M |
| 11 | Enugu North | Okey Ezea | LP | M |
| 12 | Enugu West | Osita Ngwu | PDP | M |
| 13 | Imo East | Ezenwa Francis Onyewuchi | LP | M |
| 14 | Imo North | Patrick Chinwuba Ndubueze | APC | M |
| 15 | Imo West | Osita Izunaso | APC | M |
APC Labour conquer Southeast in senate vote
