Nigerian currently has 14 serving Senators receiving salaries as former governors of their respective states.
The issue became a topic for discussion once again after a former governor of Ogun State, Gbenga Daniels wrote an open letter to the state, requesting that payment of his pension be stopped.
Senator Gbenga Daniel, who expressed dissatisfaction over the practice, tackled his colleagues for their lack of empathy for the poor masses.
In this article, we list 14 senators receiving pensions as former governors from their states
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Adams Oshiomhole
Prior to his emergence as governor, Oshiomhole served as National President of the Nigerian Labour Congress from 1999 to 2007, a position that shot him into prominence.
The outspoken Iyamho-born politician also served as national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC from 24 July 2018 to 16 June 2020 following a suspension from office by the Court of Appeal in Abuja.
Oshiomhole was elected Senator for Edo North Senatorial District after defeating his former political associate and incumbent senator, Francis Alimikhena.
Dave Umahi
Senartor David Umahi served as a two-term governor of Ebonyi State between 2015 and 2023.
After failing at the APC presidential primary election with only 38 votes polled to come in sixth place, Umahi secured the party’s ticket to contest the Ebonyi South Senatorial District seat.
Strikingly, Umahi had used his younger brother, Austin as placeholder for the ticket. Austin, who won the primary election observed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), later stepped down from the race for his elder brother.
Umahi was subsequently elected as a first-timer at the 10th Senate.
Aminu Tambuwal
Like Umahi, Aminu Tambuwal contested the presidential primary election of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) but stepped down for eventual winner, Atiku Abubakar, who lost the main election to Bola Tinubu of the APC.
Tambuwal served as a two-time governor of Sokoto State between 2015 and 2022. He was first elected into office in 2015 under the APC but later defected to the PDP in 2018 and was re-elected in 2019.
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He also previously served as a member of the House of Representatives between 2003 to 2015 and was Deputy Whip between 2003 to 2007.
He was elected senator for Sokoto South on the platform of the PDP, defeating Ibrahim Danbaba, the incumbent who swapped the PDP for the APC in the build up to the elections.
Abubakar Sani Bello
Mr Bello is also a two-term governor of Niger State from 2015 and 2023. He contested and won the Niger North Senate seat under the platform of the APC in the 2023 general election.
Bello defeated incumbent senator for the district, Aliyu Abdullahi, in the APC primary before going on to win the main election.
Ibrahim Danwkambo
Mr Danwkambo served as a two-term governor of Gombe State between 2011 to 2019 under the PDP platform.
He proceeded to contest the senate seat of Gombe Central North District in 2019 but lost to Seidu Akali of the APC.
The former governor was then elected senator for the district in 2023, defeating the incumbent, Seidu Akali, of the APC.
Prior to his emergence as governor, Dankwambo served as served as the accountant-general of the federation between April 2005 and January 2011, which was preceded by his service accountant-general of Gombe from 1999 to 2005.
Abdulaziz Yari
Yari is a two-term governor of Zamfara State. He was first elected in 2011 under the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP). He was again elected governor in 2019 under the platform of the APC.
Yari had first won the seat for Zamfara West in 2019 but his victory as well as other victories recorded by the APC in the elections were nullified by the Supreme Court, which ruled that candidates were not duly nominated through primaries.
The former governor then contested and won the seat in 2023 under the APC. He was defeated by Godswill Akpabio in the battle for the Senate President
Gbenga Daniel
A two-term governor of Ogun State between 2003 and 2011 under the PDP, Gbenga Daniel resurrected his political career with a victory to the 10th senate.
The former governor won the Ogun East Senate seat in the 2023 election after a long time off active politics following his exit from office as governor in 2011.
He had been in limbo until early 2021 when he decamped to the APC. His victory has been attributed as the handiwork of Governor Dapo Abiodun, who also secured a second term in the elections.
Aliyu Wammako
Another two-term governor, Wammako is the undisputed leader of the APC in Sokoto state. He served as the governor between 2007 and 2015.
He was elected into the senate in 2023 for the third time after victories in 2015 and 2019 for the Sokoto North Senatorial District.
In the 2023 election Wammako defeated his closest opponent and the then deputy governor of the state, Muhammad Dan Iya of the PDP.
Orji Kalu
Kalu served as a two-time governor of Abia State between 1999 to 2007. He was first elected into the senated in 2016 under the APC after several losses.
He was elected for a third time into the senate for Abia North District in 2023. Kalu was Chief Whip of the 9th Senate.
Ibrahim Gaidam
Mr Gaidam served more than two-tenures as governor of Yobe state. He first became governor in 2009 after then Governor Mamman Ali died in Florida of a liver problem.
Gaidam, who was deputy to Mamman completed the tenure and went on to serve two tenures between 2011 and 2019, earning him the title of the longest serving governor in Nigeria’s history – 10 years.
He was first elected to the Senate for Yobe South in 2019 and secured a second term in the Red Chambers during the 2023 elections.
Seriake Dickson
Also a two-term governor between 2012 and 2020, Seriake Dickson was first elected into the senate in 2020 during the Bayesla West by-election.
The senate was declared vacant after previous occupier, Lawrence was sworn-in as deputy to Governor Douye Diri.
Aforomorpepe had previously served as a member of the House of Representatives in the sixth assembly.
Godswill Akpabio
Akpabio, a trained lawyer, served as a two-term Governor of Akwa Ibom State between 2007 and 2015 under the umbrella of the PDP.
He was elected senator for Akwa Ibom North under the PDP in 2015 after his reign as governor and was Minority LEader until August 2018 when he defected to the APC.
He was appointed Minister of Niger Delta Affairs by former President Muhammadu Buhari and served the portfolio between 2019 and 2022.
Akpabio contested the presidential primaries of the APC and stepped down for eventual winner, Bola Tinubu and subsequently moved on to contest for the seat for the Akwa-Ibom North-West District under the APC.
He eventually was elected Senate President for the 10th assembly.
Mr Aliero also served as a two-term governor of Kebbi State between 1999 and 2007 under the PDP.
He was elected into the Senate for Kebbi Central District in what is his fourth time in the Red Chambrs, making him one of the longest serving legislators in the state.
Danjuma Goje
Mr Danjuma Goje served as a two-time governor of Gombe State from 2003 to 2011 after being elected under the platform of the PDP.
Goje was first elected senator for Gombe Central district on the platform of the PDP in 2011 and has being a lawmaker since then even though he defected to the APC in 2014.
He had earlier served as minister of state for power and steel from 1999 to 2001 under former President Obasanjo.
