Children and Relatives of Notable Nigerians Who Won and Lost Elections 2023

The 2023 general elections saw participation from children and relatives of notable Nigerians, including politicians, traditional leaders, and businesspeople, particularly as candidates. While some of the relatives and offspring of notable Nigerians, including politicians, traditional leaders, and businesspeople, participated actively in the general elections of 2023, particularly as candidates. While some of them were successful, others were not. According to experts, it is common for people in places of power to groom their children or those close to them to succeed them. While some of the kids or family members work extra hard to get their way, others depend on their parents’ social structures to gain control.

According to Mohammed Umar, a sociologist, “the powerful politicians who go above and beyond to elect or appoint their offspring to positions of authority are validating the ‘iron law of oligarchy.

True democracy is theoretically and practically impossible, especially in large groups and complex organizations, according to the “iron law of oligarchy,” which states that all forms of organization, regardless of how democratic they may be at the beginning, will eventually and inevitably develop oligarchic tendencies.

In Delta, Ibori and Okowa “enthrone” their children Ifeanyi Okowa, the governor of Delta State, and James Ibori, a previous leader of the state, were able to enthrone their daughters. They are Marilyn Okowa and Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu.

Ibori-Suenu, who ran for office on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) platform, was chosen to serve the federal constituency of Ethiopia. She has been working as an elected state representative for Ethiopia West since 2015. Abioye Suenu is the wife of Urhobo’s 42-year-old lawmaker.

Ingrid Okowa The member-elect for the Ika North/East district in the state House of Assembly is Marilyn (PDP), the first daughter of the governor of Delta State. Her father designated Marilyn as a Senior Special Assistant on Girl-Child Education.

She earned a Second Class Barrister at Law (BL) degree from the Nigerian Law School in 2011. (upper division). She is a champion for and an activist in education. In 2015, she wedded Daramola Gbolahan.

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Abioye Suenu is the wife of Urhobo’s 42-year-old lawmaker. Ingrid Okowa The member-elect for the Ika North/East district in the state House of Assembly is Marilyn (PDP), the first daughter of the governor of Delta State.

Her father designated Marilyn as a Senior Special Assistant on Girl-Child Education. She earned a Second Class Barrister at Law (BL) degree from the Nigerian Law School in 2011. (upper division).

She is a champion for and an activist in education. She wed Daramola Gbolahan in the yearThe son of Rilwan Akiolu, the Oba of Lagos, Moshood (APC), was re-elected to the House of Representatives to serve Lagos Island federal constituency II.

He presently serves as the House Committee on North East Development Commission’s vice chairman. Winner: Babajimi Benson Theophilus Owolabi Shobowale Benson, also known as TOS Benson, was a prominent member of the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons during the defunct First Republic. Babajimi Benson, the lawmaker who won re-election to represent the Ikorodu federal district, is a descendant of TOS Benson.

losing is Ibrahim Babajide Obanikoro Musiliu Obanikoro, the son of a former minister of defence, lost his reelection attempt to represent the Eti-Osa federal district to Thaddeus Attah of the Labour party in one of the biggest upsets of the 2023 elections.

Losing is Mustapha Sule Lamido During the recently concluded 2023 election, Mustapha, the son of Sule Lamido, a two-term former governor of Jigawa State and former minister of foreign affairs, ran for governor under the PDP but fell to Umar Namadi of the APC.

He’s run for office before, so this isn’t the first time. He ran for the Jigawa Central senatorial seat in 2019 but was defeated by an APC contender. Given that he is one of the youngest contenders running for governor in the entire nation, Mustapha’s youth has given him popularity both inside and outside the state.

Losing Sadiq Wali Aminu Wali, a previous minister of foreign affairs, is the father of Sadiq Aminu Wali. He ran for governor of Kano State in the recently held polls as a member of the PDP. Wali later joined the election as the legitimate PDP candidate after the Supreme Court decision, despite the contention over who was the real PDP candidate between him and Mohammed Abacha.

However, Abba Kabir Yusuf of the New Nigeria Peoples Party defeated him. (NNPP). While the winner received over one million votes and the runner-up received over 890,000 votes, Wali finished in third with just under 15,000 votes. Additionally, this is not his first foray into electoral politics; in 2019, he ran against Nasir Ali Ahmed of the APC for the House of Representatives seat representing the Nassarawa federal district.

Loss for Salihu Tanko Yakasai Salihu is the son of Tanko Yakasai, a prominent First Republic politician who served as national chairman of the NEPU before it disbanded. Salihu, who worked as Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje’s assistant until early 2022, ran for governor of Kano on the Peoples Redemption Party ticket. (PRP).

He was defeated by NNPP’s Abba Yusuf, though. Losing is Umar Abdullahi Ganduje (Abba). The departing governor of Kano State, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has a son by the name of Umar Abdullahi Ganduje, also referred to as Abba Ganduje. He ran as an APC candidate for the House of Representatives to represent the Dawakin Tofa/Rimin Gado/Tofa federal district.

However, Tijjani Abdulkadir Jobe, the incumbent of the post and a candidate for the NNPP, defeated Abba Ganduje. First-time candidate Ganduje (Jr.) is perceived to have run for office on his father’s back. winning is Colonel Abdulaziz Musa Yar’adua Alhaji Musa Yar’adua, a First Republic minister, was the father of Colonel Abdulaziz Musa Yar’adua (retd), the younger sibling of former President Umaru Musa Yar’adua.

The retired military commander ran for the Katsina Central Senate seat under the APC, where he ultimately prevailed over his closest PDP opponent. He ran for governor of Katsina in the APC elections in 2015 but was defeated by Aminu Bello Masari, who was already in office. He ran for the same senatorial post in 2019 but was unsuccessful.

Win for Bello El-Rufai Given that Bello El-Rufai is the governor of Kaduna State, his win in the just-concluded election did not come as a surprise to many people in Kaduna. He was chosen to serve as Kaduna North’s National Assembly representative.

He beat PDP’s Samaila Suleiman, the current member of the House of Representatives. After Bello emerged as the APC’s nominee in the primary elections of 2022, Samaila Suleiman, a previous APC member, joined the PDP. The accusation that Bello was forcibly imposed by some of his father’s associates led to a serious conflict between the governor’s son’s party and the legislator’s camp.

Bello’s victory at the poll was attributed to some factors, which of course included being the son of a serving governor. Another factor is the fact that he was fully supported by the APC governorship candidate, Senator Uba Sani, who is also his father’s ally.

Another factor is the fact that he campaigned vigorously by visiting communities and youth groups within his constituency to solicit their support. He provided gifts, including resources, in some instances, to youth groups and community leaders during his campaigns, a strategy that led to his victory.

The internal crisis within the PDP camp about the emergence of Samaila Suleiman as the party’s candidate also helped Bello’s victory because aggrieved members refused to support the lawmaker, particularly those he defeated at the primary.

They were not happy that he got the ticket weeks after joining the party. They also accused the lawmaker of using resources to win the primary election, an allegation his supporters denied.

There were also speculations that Samaila’s failure to engage some of the youths he met in the PDP when he joined the party during his campaign made them work against him at the poll.

The internal crisis worked in favour of Bello and led to his victory, bringing an end to almost two decades of Sama’ila’s representation at the National Assembly.

Chinedum Orji loses

In Abia State, Rt Hon Chinedum Orji, son of a former governor and now Senator Theodore Orji, was born on December 5, 1970. Before he threw his hat into the ring of politics, Chinedum Orji had carved a niche for himself as a philanthropist extraordinaire who touched the lives of the people through his numerous charity programmes.

Having endeared himself to the people, it became easy for him to emerge as the lawmaker representing Umuahia Central State constituency in the Abia State House of Assembly at the 2015 general elections. He served as the Majority Leader of the House till 2019 when he was re-elected to the 7th Assembly. On June 10, 2019, Chinedum Enyinnaya Orji emerged as Speaker of the 7th Abia State House of Assembly, making him the number three citizen of the state. He is a member of the PDP.

On May 23, 2022, Chinedum won the ticket of the PDP for the House of Representatives, but the Labour Party political tsunami that swept through the state crashed the hope of the ranking state lawmaker; thus he lost his ambition to represent Ikwuano/Umuahia federal constituency to a man he defeated at the PDP primary election.

The candidate of the Labour Party for the seat, Chief Obi Aguocha, who won the House of Representatives election, was once a PDP member. He lost the primary to Speaker Chinedum.

Ex-CJN’s son, Sani Ibrahim wins

In Bauchi, Sani Ibrahim Tanko, an engineer and son of a former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), won the election for Shira/Giade federal constituency. But Tanko’s elder brother, Siraj Ibrahim Tanko, who also contested for the Bauchi North senatorial district, lost to the candidate of the PDP, Dr Samaila Kachalla.

David Mark’s daughter, Akume’s wife win

A former Senate President David Mark’s daughter, Mrs Blessing Onuh of the APC won her election into the House of Representatives for a second term. Mark’s daughter, who represents the Otukpo/Ohimini federal constituency, polled 29,031 to defeat her closest opponent, Alex Ogbe of the PDP with 21,741 votes.

It would be recalled that she made her first entry into the Green Chambers in 2019 on the platform of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), and while serving her term in the House of Representatives, defected to the APC.

Mark’s daughter, despite the popularity of her father, has been able to carve a niche for herself through her crowd movement known as, “Ogigo me be,” a literal meaning of “mirror reflection” which also earned her acceptance within the federal constituency.

Also, the wife of Senator George Akume, the Minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, Mrs Regina Akume, was declared the winner of the Gboko/Tarka federal constituency. She defeated the incumbent, John Dyegh of the PDP with 47,086 as against the latter’s 24,639 votes.

Regina fondly referred to as “Mummy General” has played the role of a godmother to many of her husband’s political protégées before delving into the contest. And for her first time seeking a mandate, she won, thereby halting Dyegh’s fourth-term aspiration to the lower chambers of the National Assembly.

The minister’s wife was Benue’s First Lady between 1999 and 2007 when her husband held sway as the governor of the Food Basket state.

Muktar Tolani Shagaya wins

Mallam Muktar Tolani Shagaya was born on December 16, 1989, to the Shagaya family, a prominent household in Kwara State. His mother, Alhaji Muinat Bola Shagaya, is a billionaire businesswoman with an interest in oil and gas. He is the lawmaker-elect for the Ilorin West/Asa House of Representatives seat.

Omosede Igbinedion loses

Omosede Igbinedion is the daughter of a business mogul and politician, Chief Gabriel Osawaru Igonedion, the Esama of Benin kingdom. Omosede Igbinedion represented the Ovia federal constituency under the PDP between 2015 and 2019.

She sought re-election during the 2019 National Assembly election to represent the constituency but lost to Denis Idahosa of the APC. Omosede also contested the 2023 National Assembly election for Ovia federal constituency but also lost to Idahosa.

Pundits attributed Omosede’s defeat to the performance of the incumbent member of the House of Representatives, Idahosa as well as the internal wrangling within the PDP. According to them, Omosede rode on his father’s popularity to win the federal constituency in 2015 but the dad’s popularity could not save him in the 2019 and 2023 elections.

Natasha Akpoti loses

In Kogi State, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, a lawyer, contested the February 25 National Assembly election for Kogi Central on the platform of PDP but lost to the candidate of APC Abubakar Sadiq Ohere, an engineer and former commissioner for works and housing

Natasha Hadiza Akpoti, who was born on December 9, 1979, is the second of four children and the only daughter of Dr Abdul Jimoh Akpoti. Dr Abdul Jimoh Akpoti, who hails from Obeiba-Ihima of Kogi State represented Adavi/Okehi federal constituency in the truncated 3rd Republic by the late General Sani Abacha.

However, Natasha has approached the election petition tribunal to seek redress, describing the election in Kogi Central as a sham, barbaric and undemocratic.

Mohammed Al-Makura loses

Mohammed Al-Makura, candidate of the APC in the just concluded House of Representatives election in Nasarawa State, is the son of a paramount ruler, Sarki Kwandere Amodu Al-Makura. Al-Makura, who was a two-time House of Representatives member representing the Lafia/Obi constituency, lost out in his third term bid.

Sani Bello, Joshua Audu Gana win, Abubakar Adamu loses, In Niger State, Abubakar Sani Bello, the incumbent governor, was among the sons of prominent Nigerians who won in the last election.

Bello, the son of a former military governor of Kano State, Colonel Sani Bello and son-in-law to the former military head of state, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, won the senatorial seat of Niger North on the platform of the APC. Similarly, Joshua Audu Gana of the PDP, the eldest son of Professor Jerry Gana, a former Minister of Information and National Orientation, won the House of Representatives seat for Lavun/Mokwa/Edati constituency. Audu Gana, a first-timer, defeated the incumbent, Abdullahi Usman Gbatamayigi.

Conversely, Abubakar Adamu, a younger brother to the former military head of state, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, who vied for the House of Representatives seat for Chanchaga constituency, lost to the candidate of the PDP, Abdul Buba.

Beni Lar wins, Suleiman Kwande loses

In the recently concluded elections in Plateau State, some children of prominent persons contested various positions. While some were successful, others were not. Among those who won their elections is the member representing the Langtang North/Langtang South federal constituency on the platform of the PDP, Beni Lar.

Beni Lar is the daughter of the late Solomon Lar, the founding national chairman of the PDP and former governor of Plateau State. Yahaya Kwande is another well-known guy whose son ran for office in Plateau State. Suleiman Kwande ran for senator for Plateau North on the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) ticket, but the PDP nominee won. Alhaji Yahaya Kwande held the positions of Nigerian envoy to Switzerland and permanent secretary in Plateau State, respectively.