By Terkula Igidi And Haruna Ibrahim


Ahead of the 2023 general elections, several former military officers have won nominations of their parties to contest elections. Daily Trust takes a look at some contesting for the governorship and Senate seats.

Nigeria has had a checkered history of military rule from the first military coup in 1966 – which precipitated the bloody Civil War of 1967-70 – and culminating in the return to democracy in 1999. Despite the country wriggling itself out of the firm grip of military despotism, there has been conspicuously substantial presence of ex-military men on the political stage, directing and conducting affairs at the helms, starting from the presidency down to governorship.

At the dawn of the current, uninterrupted political dispensation from 1999, a former military head of state, General Olusegun Obasanjo, was elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to lead the country. Since then, the military top brass have stayed close to the corridors of power with the incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari being the second ex-military general to pilot the affairs of the country out of the four from 1999 to date. Cumulatively, Obasanjo and Buhari would have ruled Nigeria for 16 years out of the 23 since democracy returned in 1999.

Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar (rtd), Bauchi

A former Chief of Air Staff, Saddique Abubakar, has won the governorship ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bauchi State.

Abubakar served as Chief of Air Staff from 2015 to January 2021 when President Muhammadu Buhari relieved him of the position as well as other Service Chiefs.

The president later appointed him as Nigeria’s ambassador to Chad but he resigned from that appointment before contesting the primary in which he emerged victorious.

He polled 370 votes to defeat his closest challenger, Senator Haliru Jika, who scored 278 votes.

Abubakar will come up against the incumbent governor, Bala Mohammed of the PDP, who having lost his presidential bid, went and picked the governorship ticket.

The military top brass got married to the Minister for Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajiya Sadiya Umar Farouq, in 2020.

The couple had their wedding Fatiha on Friday, September 18, 2020, at the Maitama Juma’a Mosque in Abuja.

Retired Maj. Gen. Aminu Bande, Kebbi

Retired Maj. Gen. Aminu Bande has emerged as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate for Kebbi State in the 2023 general elections.

Bande, who retired as the General Officer Commanding 8 Division of the Nigerian Army, defeated a former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Buhari Bala, with 471 votes while Bala polled 126 votes.

The retired general will slug it out with Dr. Nasir Idris of the APC in the 2023 governorship election.

Lt. Col. Kefas Agbu, Taraba

Lieutenant Colonel Kefas Agbu (rtd) clinched the governorship ticket of Taraba State for the 2023 general elections.

Agbu, who recently resigned as Taraba State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chairman, pulled the surprise having repeatedly denied he was in the race for the ticket.

Col. Agbu won the primary after defeating three other contestants with 443 votes.

Hon. Joseph Albasu Kunini, the Speaker of the state House of Assembly got 31 votes, Prof. Jerome Nyame got 24 votes, Hon. Joel Ikenya got 11 votes while Buba Mafindi got 6 votes.

Hon. Victor Bala Kona, a former PDP chairman, had earlier in the day pulled out of the contest.

Agbu, also a former chairman of NIMASA, will slug it out with Senator Emmanuel Bwacha of the APC.

Major Samuel Abashe, Plateau

The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in Plateau State has adopted a retired military officer, Major Samuel Abashe, as its governorship candidate in the state.

Abashe, who is also a retired staff of the United Nations, was adopted by delegates from the 17 local government areas of the state.

The APGA Chairman in the state, Mr. Ibrahim Danjuma, who addressed journalists at a forum in Jos, said the adoption of Abashe was in line with the electoral guidelines provided by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

But Abashe will be an underdog in the governorship contest involving APC’s Nentanwe Yilwatda and PDP’s Caleb Muftwang because of his party platform.

Brig. Gen. Austin Egwuagu (rtd), Imo

Brig. Gen. Austin Egwuagu has emerged the flag bearer of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) for Imo West senatorial district after the party’s primary election.

Egwuagu picked the senatorial ticket after defeating other contestants at the election held at the party office in Owerri.

The retired military officer was the Board Chairman of Adapalm Nigeria LTD,

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