Encomium
Of the seven federal ministers who resigned their offices in the Jonathan cabinet to pursue gubernatorial ambitions, five missed out on the ticket to represent their parties.
The seven are Labaran Maku (former Information Minister); Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu (former Health Minister); Nyesom Wike (former Minister of State for Education); Samuel Ortom (former Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment); Musiliu Obanikoro (former Minister of State for Defence); Darius Ishaku (former Minister of State for Niger Delta) and Chief Emeka Wogu (former Minister of Labour and Productivity.
Thus far, only Wike has been able to clinch the party’s gubernatorial ticket for the 2015 elections. Ishaku, on the other hand, awaits his fate in the Taraba state governorship primary which is yet to hold.
Musiliu Obanikoro lost to Jimi Agbaje in Lagos state; while in Benue state, Samuel Ortom came third with 111 votes as Terhemen Tarzoor, the former Speaker of the State House of Assembly won after polling 517 votes.
In Abia State, Emeka Wogu was defeated with a landslide by Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, the anointed candidate of outgoing-governor Theodore Orji.
Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu was defeated in Ebonyi State by Engr. Dave Umahi, while Maku was defeated in Nasarawa State by Yusuf Agabi, who polled 214 against his 160 votes.
Meanwhile, Ishaku has been picked by some interest groups as a consensus candidate for the Taraba State governorship primary. He will face former acting governor, Garba Umar in the election which is yet to hold.
