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Political events that shaped 2020

Crossing from 2019 to 2020 had brought much hope to teeming Nigerians, who saw the year as a round figure and a leap year that would herald fortunes and development for the country and the entire citizenry on all fronts.

They had looked forward to a year of plenty, restoration, and probably the beginning of new tidings despite the prevailing economic challenges as well as endemic sociopolitical problems confronting the country on all fronts. However, the year 2020 has become a year of reflection that came with threatening health challenge represented by the dreaded Coronavirus Pandemic. The pandemic had reared its ugly head in the city of Wuhan in the Republic of China in December, 2019 before it crept to other parts of the world and got to Nigeria in February, 2020.

This put the political class and indeed the Federal and state governments to task in the area of providing stimulus packages for the millions of members of the public as all the parts of the country were locked down owing to the contagious nature of the ailment.

This changed the political landscape and lifestyle of Nigerians all through the year. Indeed, 2020 was a year of political machinations, defections, realignment, deaths, unprecedented court rulings, protests, media war, shocking policies and other political issues that made the year unforgettable in the annals of the nation. Some of these are highlighted here as the unforgettable political events that shaped the year 2020.

Emeka Ihedioha of PDP Lost To Hope Uzodinma of APC as Imo Governor at the Supreme Court

The political shock of the year began on January 14, when the Supreme Court sacked Emeka Ihedioha of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as Imo State governor and declared Hope Uzodinma of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the governorship election which held in 2019. It was agreed by the Apex Court through a unanimous judgment of the seven-member panel read by Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun that results in 388 polling units were unlawfully excluded during the collation of the final governorship election result in Imo State. Justice Kekere-Ekun said that with the results from the 388 polling units added, Mr Uzodinma polled a majority of the lawful votes and ought to have been declared the winner of the election by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

David Lyon Sacked as Bayelsa Governor- Elect

While Nigerians were yet to get over the shock of the Imo judgment by the Supreme Court, the Apex Court sacked David Lyon of the APC as governor-elect of Bayelsa State, on Thursday February 13, 24 hours to his inauguration. Lyon had been declared as the winner of the November 2019 governorship election, and he was to be sworn in as governor until his dream of becoming the governor of Bayelsa State was cut short. Douye Diri of the PDP had challenged the legitimacy of Lyon’s running mate on the ground of certificate forgery in court. A panel of justices led by Mary Odili ordered INEC to withdraw the certificate of return issued to Lyon and to re-issue another to the candidate with the second highest number of votes and this happened to be Douye Diri.

Oshiomhole Removed As APC Chairman

The removal of the Adams Oshiomhole- led All Progressives Congress (APC) Executive for Mai Mala Buni Caretaker Committee was another political event that featured prominently in 2020. Oshiomhole succeeded John Oyegun as the National Chairman of the APC in 2015. However, the tenure of Oshiomhole as the head of the party witnessed several crisis that ought to have consumed him earlier than it did. Oshiomhole later got into serious battle with the Edo State governor, Godwin Obaseki. This led to Obaseki being denied the party’s governorship ticket in 2019. Obaseki would later dump the APC for the PDP and this culminated in the removal of Oshiomhole as the chairman of the party. The ruling of the Appeal Court which upheld Oshiomhole’s suspension by the party in the state led to his removal as party chairman.

Obaseki defeats Oshiomhole

Governor Godwin Obaseki of the PDP defeated the candidate of his godfather, Oshiomhole, Pastor Osagie Oze-Iyamu of the APC at Edo State election, which held on September 19, 2020. Obaseki’s victory at the governorship election in Edo State was a major political surprise of the year 2020 that has set a new record in the nation’s political landscape. Not a few people had predicted that Obaseki would not survive the “war” that arose from his estranged political godfather as they both went for the jugular to outdo one another. This was aggravated by the movement of Obaseki from the APC to the PDP. However, Obaseki was reelected with a wide margin against the APC flag bearer, Osagie Ize-Iyamu. Obaseki polled 307,955, while Ize-Iyamu polled 223,619 votes.

Akeredolu wins in Ondo State

In Ondo State, Governor Rotimi Akeredolu won his reelection bid at the election, which held on October 10. Akeredolu was at loggerhead with his then deputy, Agboola Ajayi, who would later contest as governor under the Zenith Labour Party. Akeredolu also had Eyitayo Jegede to contend with as the PDP candidate. The governor won with 292,830 to defeat Jegede, who polled 195,791 and Ajayi, who had 69, 127 votes.

Umahi, Dogara, Abbo defect to APC

The surprise of the year 2020 would not be complete without the defection of some high profile politicians from the PDP to the APC. In a surprise move, Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State defected from the PDP to the APC in 2020. Umahi told journalists in Abakaliki on Tuesday November 17 during the official defection that he had no regrets leaving the PDP. The governor said he moved to the APC because of “injustice” meted out to the South-east by the PDP. He said that he had no deal with the APC or any member of the party with regards to the zoning of the presidential position to the region. He said: “I want to clear the air that I never sought (for) PDP presidential ticket and I will not. So whoever that said that I moved to APC because they refused to zone the ticket to me is being very mischievous. “Even if PDP promises somebody presidential ticket how does it work where over 8000 delegates will be voting. And such promise cannot happen with more than 10 or 20 people so people are being very mischievous about that.” Umahi never hid his likeness for President Muhammadu Buhari and this later led to his movement from his party to that of the president in an unprecedented manner and his defection shook the political space and generated a lot of reactions. With this, Ebonyi became the second South East state governed by the APC. A former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara also returned to the APC from the PDP. It will be recalled that Dogara left the APC with the immediate past Senate President, Bukola Saraki and others in 2018 prior to the 2019 general elections. Although he won his reelection in 2019, his relationship with the state governor, Senator Bala Mohammed of the PDP went bad leading to his return to APC. Senator Elisha Abbo, representing Adamawa North, from the PDP also defected to the APC. His defection left a lot of his supporters and PDP faithful surprised.

Mahmood Yakubu reappointed as INEC chairman

Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mahmood Yakubu was reappointed and sworn-in by President Muhammadu Buhari for the second term of five-year in office. His nomination for the top job by Buhari was confirmed by the senate on December 1. This would be the first time an INEC chairman will be reappointed.

Political Deaths

The death of the Chief of Staff of President Muhammadu Buhari, Abba Kyari on 17th April was a shock to many. Abba Kyari was seen as the defacto leader in the government of President Buhari and his demise was seen as a big blow to the government. Another shocking political death in the year was the demise of Alhaji Abdulkadir Balarabe Musa on 11th November. The death of the elder statesman and former Kaduna State governor shook the nation to its foundation and it made the year 2020 memorable. Also on December 11, the death of media mogul, business man, politician and publisher of Leadership Newspaper, Sam Nda-Isaiah was announced to the surprise of millions of Nigerians. Isaiah’s death was more painful and regrettable as he died at 58. There was also the death of other prominent politicians in the year such as a former governor of Oyo State, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, former Ogun State PDP Governorship candidate, Senator Kashamu Buruji, Senator Sikiru Osinowo aka Pepperito from Lagos East Senatorial District, former minister of defence and member of the defunct Supreme Military Council, Gen. Domkat Y. Bali amongst several others. While the year 2020 might have come and gone, it left in its wake several political events and records that have now become parts of the history of the Nigerian nation.

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