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Top Nigerian political gladiators that shaped 2022 (2)

Last week, we began a feature on top Nigerian political gladiators that shaped 2022. In this second part, we write on some other politicians whose activities in the outgoing Year cannot be overemphasized. Some of these politicians are in the category of those that would still be relevant in 2023 and beyond, while some are gradually being pushed into the background in the Nigerian political scene.

Orji Uzor Kalu

The Senate Chief Whip and former Governor of Abia State, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu has continued to remain relevant in the Nigerian political space. Kalu, who also contested for the presidential primary of the APC, has been campaigning for the victory of the Presidential Candidate of the party, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, at the polls. The leading politician believes that the APC should be allowed to continue to rule and he has shown that the people of the South East have much roles to play in the development of the country.

Rotimi Amaechi

Rotimi Amaechi was a two-term governor or Rivers State from 2007 to 2015, when he became a Minister under President Muhammadu Buhari. Amaechi, who came second in the presidential primary election of the All Progressives Congress (APC), had to leave as Transport minister as directed by President Buhari, when he wanted to contest for the presidency. Since then Amaechi appeared to have gone into oblivion, while it is believed that he is still working under ground that the APC wins the governorship election of River State so that he could get back at his arch-rival, Governor Nyesom Wike of River State, who used to be his political son.

Yahaya Bello

Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State featured prominently in the presidential primary election of the APC. Bello was all over the place campaigning for the election, but he couldn’t go far at the primaries. Even at that, Bello was able to show that the zoning of the presidency to the south should not stop someone from the North Central to indicate interest in the coveted office, and that it is time for young Nigerians to take over the leadership of the country. Bello is seen as a President Muhammadu Buhari man and he has promised to ensure the victory of the APC at the polls.

Adamu Abdullahi

Senator Adamu Abdullahi is the National Chairman of the APC. He was the Governor of Nasarawa State from 1999 to 2007 under the PDP. He later defected to the APC in 2014. Adamu became the Chairman of the APC at a very challenging period, but he was able to prove that he could manage the situation as it was under him that the party conducted the last primary election, which produced Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as it’s standard bearer. The issues surrounding the primary election almost consumed him, but he was able to weather the storm and bring the party together.

Iyorchia Ayu

Senator Iyorchia Ayu is the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Ayu is currently contending with issues bothering on his promise that he would step down if a northerner emerges the Presidential Candidate of the party. This would later polarise the party as Governor Nyesom Wike of River State, who came second at the party’s presidential primary election, and others, are insisting that Ayu must step down as the chairman of the party. The issue is yet to be resolved as Wike, four other serving Governors of the party and some other top members of the party are insisting that they would not support it’s standard bearer, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as long as Ayu remains the chairman.

Demola Adeleke

Senator Demola Adeleke, the incumbent Governor of Osun State, is a leading political gladiator that shaped Year 2022. Adeleke had contested the seat in 2018 and lost in controversial circumstances to former governor Gboyega Oyetola. But his second coming in July 2022 led to victory and the “dancing governor” has since been sworn-in. His victory is spectacular as he won under the PDP, the major opposition party in the country, to defeat Oyetola of the ruling APC.

Ahmed Lawan

The President of the Nigerian Senate, Ahmed Lawan, also gave the presidency a shot under the APC. Events later showed that he couldn’t muster enough muscle to win the election. Lawan also came into the front burner in 2022 as many people belief that the Nigerian Senate has not properly challenge the executive under his leadership and that he is not providing the formidable necessary leadership that should have made the legislature more relevant.

Femi Gbajabiamila

The Speaker of the Federal House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila played active roles in many issues affecting the country in the year. He was able to broker peace between the federal government and labour unions in the country, the last being the crisis between the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU). While the House of Representatives can be said to have been in the news on a regular basis, the issue still remains that the current legislature is seen as pro-government by many Nigerians.

Bode George

A chieftain of the PDP, Chief Olabode George was constantly in the news in the year. George, a former National Vice Chairman of the party, has pitched tent with the G-5 Governors, who are insisting that the party’s National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu must step down, and they have now formed Integrity Group that comprises the G-5 Governors and others who believe in the cause. So far, Bode George does not identify with Atiku Abubakar as the party’s presidential candidate.

Aminu Tambuwal

The Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal was a presidential aspirant of the PDP. He later stepped down for Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, who eventually emerged as candidate. The action of Tambuwal was seen as betrayal by Governor Nyesom Wike, who came second at the primary, as he felt that he should have been paid back by Tambuwal, who he supported for the presidency in 2019.

Samuel Ortom

Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State is another top political gladiators of the year 2022. Ortom is a member of the G-5 of the PDP and he is a close ally of Governor Nyesom Wike of River State. There is no doubt that Benue State is passing through a difficult time at the moment with all forms of killings by bandits, gunmen and terrorists. With this and some other reasons, Ortom featured prominently in the news in the year.

Gboyega Oyetola

Former governor Gboyega Oyetola of Osun State had to bow out of office having been defeated by Governor Demola Adeleke of the PDP, who lost to him in 2018. The loss was a bitter pill for Oyetola to swallow and he is still in court to challenge the victory of Adeleke at the polls. However, there have been several altercations between Adeleke and Oyetola over debts and management of the resources of the state, while the latter held sway in the state.

Ovie Omo-Agege

Ovie Omo-Agege is the Deputy President of the Nigerian Senate and the Governorship Candidate of the APC in Delta State. Omo-Agege has continued to be in the news as a top member of the Senate, who went out of his way to snuggle the maze out of the Senate chamber in the 8th Assembly, when there were signs that the Senate wanted to impeach President Muhammadu Buhari.

Dapo Abiodun

The Governor or Ogun State, Dapo Abiodun prominently featured in the news in the year. While there were issues bothering on his performances as Governor, Abiodun is insisting that he has done well to be elected for a second term in 2023. He was also in the news days to the presidential primary election of the APC, when Asiwaju Bola Tinubu addressed him as someone, who ought to support him wholeheartedly to reciprocate the support he got from him towards his election in 2019.

Olajide Adediran aka Jandor

Dr. Abdul-Azeez Olajide Adediran aka Jandor is the lead visioner of the Lagos-4-Lagos group that left the APC for the PDP early in the year. Jandor later sprang a surprise, when he became the Governorship Candidate of the PDP within a short period of joining the party. His emergence appeared to have caused a stir in the state as many people believe that he would give other parties a run for their money. Jandor has started vigorous campaigns across the wards in the state and he is determined to win the state for the PDP and “end the domination of the APC in the cosmopolitan state.”

Ladipo Adebutu

The Governorship Candidate of the PDP in Ogun State, Hon. Ladipo Adebutu has never given up on his ambition to be elected as the Governor or Ogun State. Adebutu tried his luck to rule in the state in 2019, but the issues surrounding the primary election of the party, which led to factionalisation, prevented him from achieving his dream. Adebutu is a former member of the Federal House of Representatives and a son of billionaire owner of Premier Lotto, Chief Adebutu Kessinghton aka Baba Ijebu. The perceived polarisation in the PDP also reared its ugly head this year, when three factions organised primary election to elect governorship candidates. Adebutu has however, been declared as the party’s Governorship Candidate by a court of competent jurisdiction.

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