2023 Nigerian Senate election in the Federal Capital Territory

2023 Nigerian Senate election in the Federal Capital Territory

←  2019 25 February 2023 2027 →
Registered	1,570,307
Nominee Angulu Zakari Anthony Ezekwugo Party APC APGA   Nominee Ireti Kingibe Philips Tanimu Aduda Party LP PDP
PDP incumbent running for re-election
Senator before election Philips Tanimu Aduda PDP Elected Senator TBD

The 2023 Nigerian Senate election in the Federal Capital Territory will be held on 25 February 2023, to elect the single federal Senator from the Federal Capital Territory, with the senatorial district being coterminous with the Territory at-large. The election will coincide with the 2023 presidential election, as well as other elections to the Senate and elections to the House of Representatives; with state elections being held two weeks later.

Primaries were held between 4 April and 9 June 2022 with incumbent Senator Philips Tanimu Aduda being renominated by the Peoples Democratic Party while the All Progressives Congress nominated Angulu Zakari—former House of Representatives member for Abaji/Gwagwalada/Kwali/Kuje. ^{[1] [2]}

Background

The Federal Capital Territory Senatorial District covers the entire territory and its local government areas of Abaji, Abuja, Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kuje, and Kwali. The incumbent Philips Tanimu Aduda (PDP) was re-elected with 61.4% votes in 2019 and is seeking re-election.

In other elections in the territory, the state was easily won by PDP presidential nominee Atiku Abubakar, in addition to the PDP gaining both of the House of Representatives seats. Similarly, in 2022, the PDP won most of the councillors election but split the area council chairmanships in the local elections.

At the start of the 2019–2023 term, Aduda retained his position as Minority Whip. ^[3] He then became Minority Leader in June 2022 to replace the defecting Abia South Senator, Enyinnaya Abaribe. ^[4]

Overview

Affiliation	Party		Total
	PDP	LP
Previous Election	1	0	1
Before Election	1	0	1
After Election	0	1	1

Summary

This table is an excerpt from 2023 Nigerian Senate election § Federal Capital Territory.[ edit ]

District	Incumbent		Results
	Incumbent	Party	Status	Candidates
FCT	Philips Tanimu Aduda	PDP	Incumbent lost re-election New member elected LP gain	▌ Angulu Zakari (APC) [5] [6] ▌Y Ireti Kingibe (LP) [6] ▌ Philips Tanimu Aduda (PDP) [7] [6]

Primary elections

All Progressives Congress

On 20 April 2022, the APC National Executive Committee announced the party's schedule for senatorial primaries, setting its expression of interest form price at ₦3 million and nomination form price at ₦17 million with a 50% discount for candidates younger than 40 while women and candidates with disabilities get free nomination forms. Forms were to be sold from 26 April to 6 May until the deadline was later extended to 10 May then 12 May. ^[8] After the submission of nomination forms by 13 May, candidates were screened by a party committee on 14 and 15 May while 18 May was the date for the screening appeal process. ^[9] Ward congresses and LGA congresses were set for 16 and 17 May to elect delegates for the primary. Candidates approved by the screening process advanced to a primary set for 27 May, in concurrence with other APC senatorial primaries; challenges to the result could be made on 28 May. ^{[10] [11] [12] [13]}

On the primary date, an indirect primary at the National Women Centre in Abuja resulted in victory for Angulu Zakari—former House of Representatives member for Abaji/Gwagwalada/Kwali/Kuje. ^[2] Results showed Zakari defeating first runner-up Dayo Benjamins-Laniyi by a 81% margin but controversy arose immediately as party members protested that the primary had been manipulated in favour of Zakari. Members critical of the primary conduct noted the sudden shift in the primary venue from the advertised Moshood Abiola National Stadium to the Women Centre in addition to the purported failure to publish the delegates' list or the voters' register. Benjamins-Laniyi supporters decried the imposition of Zakari as an example of the APC's failure to provide fair opportunities for women candidates but the primary's electoral committee chairman claimed that the election was free and fair. ^{[14] [15]}

APC primary results ^[2]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	APC	Angulu Zakari	277	90.22%
	APC	Dayo Benjamins-Laniyi	28	9.12%
	APC	Zaphaniah Jisalo	1	0.33%
	APC	Usman Jibrin Wowo	1	0.33%
Total votes			307	100.00%
Invalid or blank votes			2	N/A
Turnout			309	100.00%

People's Democratic Party

On 16 March 2022, the national PDP announced its senatorial primary timetable, setting its expression of interest form price at ₦1 million and the nomination form price at ₦20 million with a 50% discount for candidates between 25 and 30. Forms were to be sold until 1 April but the party later extended the deadline four times before reaching a final deadline of 22 April. After the submission of nomination forms by 25 April, candidates were screened by a party committee on 27 April while 2 May was the rescheduled date for the screening appeal process. Ward congresses were set for 29 April and LGA congresses were rescheduled for 10 May to elect delegates for the primary. ^[16] Candidates approved by the screening process advanced to a primary set for 23 May, in concurrence with other PDP senatorial primaries but due to often violently enforced Monday stay-at-home orders by separatists, southeastern state parties held their primaries on 24 May; ^[17] challenges to the result could be made on 25 May. ^{[18] [19] [20] [21]}

The primary, held at the Nicon Luxury Hotel in Abuja, resulted in the renomination of Aduda after his two challengers stepped down for him. In his acceptance speech, Aduda thanked the electoral committee for ensuring peaceful primaries and assured his constituents of good representation. ^{[1] [22]}

Campaign

As campaigning intensified in late 2022, OrderPaper Nigeria organized a town hall for FCT National Assembly candidates on 5 December. While minor party candidates gave speeches and offered proposals, both Aduda and Zakari did not attend the event. ^[23] By early February, reporting showed that Aduda and Zakari were no longer the only major candidates as Ireti Kingibe—the LP nominee who is the wife of Baba Gana Kingibe and sister of former First Lady Ajoke Muhammed—and Anthony Ezekwugo—the APGA nominee. Pundits focused on Aduda's strength in rural areas, Zakari's reliance on the votes of his native Gwagwalada, Kingibe's boost from supporters of Peter Obi, and Ezekwugo's targeting of non-indigenes originally from the South-East. Overall, it was noted that Aduda, Kingibe, and Ezekwugo were targeting the same formerly PDP base thus the split could help Zakari. ^[24]

Election debates and town halls

2023 Nigerian Senate election in the Federal Capital Territory debates and town halls

Date	Organisers	P Present [lower-alpha 1]   S Surrogate [lower-alpha 2]    NI Not invited  A Absent invitee
		A	ADC	APC	LP	NRM	PDP	SDP	Other parties	Ref.
5 December 2022	OrderPaper Nigeria	P Yusuf	P Obasi	A Zakari	P Kingibe	P Enwerem	A Aduda	P Osho	A Multiple	[23]

General election

Results

2023 Federal Capital Territory Senatorial District election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	A	Abdulkarim Saulawa Yusuf
	AA	Jidejisos Josiah Ejie
	ADC	Paul Smith Obasi
	APC	Angulu Zakari	78,905
	APGA	Chikelue Anthony Ezekwugo
	APM	Chekwubechukwu Simon Ekwe
	LP	Ireti Kingibe	202,175
	NRM	Samuel Akaolisa Enwerem
	New Nigeria Peoples Party	Mubarak Ahmad Tijjani
	PDP	Philips Tanimu Aduda	100,544
	SDP	Olanrewaju Lawrence Osho
	YPP	Mohammed Mukhtar Mahamud
	ZLP	Swani D. Buba
Total votes				100.00%
Invalid or blank votes				N/A
Turnout

By federal constituency

The results of the election by federal constituency.

Federal Constituency	Angulu Zakari APC		Philips Tanimu Aduda PDP		Others		Total Valid Votes
	Votes	Percentage	Votes	Percentage	Votes	Percentage
Abaji/Gwagwalada/Kwali/Kuje Federal Constituency [lower-alpha 3]	TBD	%	TBD	%	TBD	%	TBD
AMAC/Bwari Federal Constituency [lower-alpha 4]	TBD	%	TBD	%	TBD	%	TBD
Totals	TBD	%	TBD	%	TBD	%	TBD

By local government area

The results of the election by local government area.

LGA	Angulu Zakari APC		Philips Tanimu Aduda PDP		Others		Total Valid Votes	Turnout Percentage
	Votes	Percentage	Votes	Percentage	Votes	Percentage
Abaji	TBA	%	TBA	%	TBA	%	TBA	%
Abuja	TBA	%	TBA	%	TBA	%	TBA	%
Bwari	TBA	%	TBA	%	TBA	%	TBA	%
Gwagwalada	TBA	%	TBA	%	TBA	%	TBA	%
Kuje	TBA	%	TBA	%	TBA	%	TBA	%
Kwali	TBA	%	TBA	%	TBA	%	TBA	%
Totals	TBA	%	TBA	%	TBA	%	TBA	%

Notes

1. Denotes a party senatorial nominee attending the event.
2. Denotes a party senatorial nominee not attending the event, sending a surrogate in their place.
3. Comprising the local government areas of Abaji, Gwagwalada, Kwali, and Kuje.
4. Comprising the local government areas of Abuja and Bwari.

See also

• 2023 Nigerian Senate election
• 2023 Nigerian elections

References

1. Isah, Abubakar Sadiq. "2023: Aduda Wins PDP Ticket For FCT Senate". Daily Trust . Retrieved 11 August 2022.
2. Muhammad, Abdullahi. "Dobi emerges FCT APC senatorial candidate". Blueprint Newspaper . Retrieved 11 August 2022.
3. Umoru, Henry. "Senate: Abaribe is Minority Leader; Bwacha, deputy; Aduda, chief whip; Ordia, dep whip". Vanguard . Retrieved 11 August 2022.
4. Shibayan, Dyepkazah. "PDP nominates Philip Aduda as senate minority leader". TheCable . Retrieved 11 August 2022.
5. Muhammad, Abdullahi (29 May 2022). "Dobi emerges FCT APC senatorial candidate". Blueprint Newspaper . Retrieved 3 June 2022.
6. Adenekan, Samson. "Download: Full List of 2023 Presidential, Vice Presidential, NASS candidates". Premium Times . Retrieved 21 September 2022.
7. Isah, Abubakar Sadiq (23 May 2022). "2023: Aduda Wins PDP Ticket For FCT Senate". Daily Trust . Retrieved 24 May 2022.
8. Odunsi, Wale. "2023: APC extends sale of forms, fixes dates to elect delegates". Daily Post . Retrieved 7 May 2022.
9. Nseyen, Nsikak. "2023: APC fixes new date for governorship primaries, others". Daily Post . Retrieved 11 May 2022.
10. Majeed, Bakare (20 April 2022). "UPDATED: 2023: APC fixes presidential forms for N100 million, adopts indirect primaries". Premium Times . Retrieved 25 April 2022.
11. Angbulu, Stephen; Ayeni, Victor; Dada, Peter; Naku, Dennis; Ede, Raphael (21 April 2022). "Presidential primary: APC silent on zoning, Nigerians condemn N100m nomination fee". The Punch . Retrieved 25 April 2022.
12. APC Nigeria [@OfficialAPCNg] (May 11, 2022). "NEW DATES" (Tweet). Retrieved 12 May 2022– via Twitter.
13. APC Nigeria [@OfficialAPCNg] (May 18, 2022). "ADJUSTED TIMETABLE" (Tweet). Retrieved 21 May 2022– via Twitter.
14. Yahaya, Hussein. "Why Adedayo, Others Not Satisfied With FCT APC Senate Primaries". Daily Trust . Retrieved 11 August 2022.
15. "APC And FCT Senatorial Contest". Leadership . Retrieved 11 August 2022.
16. Angbulu, Stephen (21 April 2022). "2023: PDP extends sale of forms for fourth time". The Punch . Retrieved 21 April 2022.
17. "IPOB's Sit-At-Home Forces PDP To Shift Primaries In South East". Daily Trust . Retrieved 30 July 2022.
18. Yakubu, Dirisu (16 March 2022). "[BREAKING] 2023: PDP Presidential primary holds in May". Vanguard . Abuja . Retrieved 7 April 2022.
19. Akpan, Samuel (17 March 2022). "2023: PDP releases pre-election schedule, fixes presidential primary poll for May 28". TheCable . Retrieved 7 April 2022.
20. Official PDP Nigeria [@OfficialPDPNig] (May 5, 2022). "2023 General Elections: @OfficialPDPNig updated Time Table and Schedule of Activities for the 2023 general elections. See below" (Tweet). Retrieved 1 May 2022– via Twitter.
21. Oyeleke, Sodiq. "2023: Again, PDP adjusts dates for primaries". The Punch . Retrieved 30 July 2022.
22. Bajah, Lawrence. "Senator Aduda Emerges PDP Senatorial Candidate For Fourth Time In FCT". Nigerian Tribune . Retrieved 11 August 2022.
23. Atime, Elizabeth. "Aduda, Angulu absent as OrderPaper holds Townhall for FCT NASS candidates". OrderPaper Nigeria. Retrieved 14 December 2022.
24. Seye, Abdul. "2023: Can Obedient movement determine FCT Senate race". Daily Post . Retrieved 21 February 2023.