APC incumbent term-limited APC incumbent running or eligible for re-election PDP incumbent term-limited PDP incumbent running or eligible for re-election No election in 2023
Several incumbent governors were ineligible for re-election due to term limits. Nine APC governors were term-limited while nine incumbent APC governors were eligible for re-election. Among PDP governors, eight were term-limited while four could seek re-election. Elections will be held in 18 of the 20 states with APC governors and 12 of the 14 states with PDP governors.
The APC and PDP picked up two governorships each in the March elections, with the APC winning Benue and Sokoto while the PDP gained Plateau and Zamfara. Additionally, both the LP and NNPP gained one governorship with the LP gaining Abia and the NNPP flipping Kano. Two gubernatorial races—Adamawa and Kebbi—were declared inconclusive due to close margins and results cancellations.
Overall, the March election results were noted for few changes as state's governing parties generally retained control of governorships. Like in the federal elections, Independent National Electoral Commission performance dominated post-election discussion as dozens of candidates claimed irregularities had impacted their elections. Additionally, the March gubernatorial elections had significantly more reports of violence and vote-buying than during the federal elections, especially in the states of Lagos and Kano.[5][6]
Before the elections, there were 21 APC governors, 14 PDP governors, and one APGA governor. Of the governor's offices up for election in 2023, 19 are held by an APC member while 12 are held by a PDP member.
Incumbent PDP Governor Okezie Ikpeazu was re-elected to a second term in 2019 with 60.26% of the vote. He will be term-limited in 2023 and cannot seek re-election for a third term.
For the APC, two parallel primaries were held with one faction holding an indirect primary at the Chidiebere Arena while the other faction held a direct primary (citing a national APC directive for a direct primary in Abia) that carried on into the next day. After both primaries were peacefully held, the Chidiebere Arena primary ended in economist Ikechi Emenike winning by a wide margin while the direct primary resulted in a victory for former minister Uche Ogah.[9][111] INEC recognised Emenike as the legitimate nominee in July 2022 after a court ruled in his favour.[112]
In the APGA primary, Gregory Ibe (an academic administrator) defeated his three opponents with around 54% of the delegates' votes. While the party accepted his nomination, second runner-up Ijioma Nwokoro Ijioma rejected the results.[10]
In the PDP primary, Uche Ikonne (an optometrist and academic administrator) emerged victorious after almost all of his opponents withdrew on the day of the primary. Reasons for withdrawal were split between those claimed that Ikpeazu's tacit support for Ikonne along with doctored delegate lists removed any fairness from the primary and those that dropped out to support Ikonne. Ikonne defeated the two remaining candidates with over 80% of the vote in an indirect primary on 25 May.[11]
Incumbent PDP Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri was elected to a first term in 2019 with 43.22% of the vote. He is eligible to run for re-election and has been renominated by his party.
For the APC, Aishatu Dahiru Ahmed—Senator for Adamawa Central—won the primary with 42% of delegates' votes. Despite some controversies during the primary, Ahmed was accepted as the nominee and made history as the first women to nominated by a major party for the Adamawa governorship and only the second women ever nominated by a major party for any state governorship.[14]
In the PDP primary, Fintiri was the sole candidate due to the disqualification of his only primary opponent—Jameel Abubakar Waziri. As he was unopposed, Fintiri won unanimously at the primary in Yola.[13]
Incumbent PDP Governor Udom Gabriel Emmanuel was re-elected to a second term in 2019 with 74.64% of the vote. He will be term-limited in 2023 and cannot seek re-election for a third term.
For the APC, months of a party crisis between a national party-recognized faction backed by Godswill Akpabio and an INEC-recognized faction backed by John James Akpan Udo-Edehe culminated in street fights over control of official voting materials. Eventually, the Akpabio faction gained control of the materials and held its primary on 27 May with businessman Akanimo Udofia winning.[18] However, INEC did not recognize Udofia's win, leaving the APC without a gubernatorial nominee.[19] As the APC failed to legitimately nominate a candidate, minor parties' nominees have become major candidates as Udo-Edehe decamped to the NNPP to become its nominee with rumors that losing PDP candidates are also looking at minor parties' tickets.[113]
In the PDP primary, Umo Eno (a former commissioner) emerged victorious after two of his major opponents—Senator Bassey Albert Akpan and MHR Onofiok Luke—withdrew on the day of the primary as both claimed that a court order prevented the primary from taking place. Eno defeated the remaining candidates with over 97% of the vote in an indirect primary on 25 May.[16]
Incumbent PDP Governor Bala Mohammed was elected to a first term in 2019 with 46.35% of the vote. He initially declined to run for re-election, instead running for president. However, after losing the PDP presidential primary in May 2022, Mohammed was renominated for governor in a rerun primary.
In the PDP, former Secretary to the State Government Ibrahim Kashim won the primary unopposed on 25 May.[115] However, prior to the primary, reporting revealed that Kashim was to act as a placeholder and would withdraw if Mohammed's presidential campaign failed.[116][117] After it did, Kashim withdrew and Mohammed won the rerun primary on 4 June unopposed.[21][22]
Incumbent PDP Governor Douye Diri was elected to a first term in 2019 after a court decision.[118] He is eligible to run for re-election, but has not yet stated whether he will do so. A rumored PDP primary challenger for Diri is former NDDC Managing Director/CEO and 2019 PDP gubernatorial candidateTimi Alaibe.
Incumbent PDP Governor Samuel Ortom was re-elected to a second term in 2019 with 52.29% of the vote. He will be term-limited in 2023 and cannot seek re-election for a third term. Dondu Ahire (former Commissioner for Water Resources and Solid Minerals), Terver Akase (Chief Press Secretary to Ortom), Robert Orya (former Managing Director/CEO of NEXIM), Titus Uba (House of Assembly member for Kyan and Speaker of the House of Assembly), Terkaa Ucha (House of Assembly member for Vandeikya-Tiev), and Paul Ubwa (BECCIMA President) are declared PDP candidates[120] while Benson Abounu (Deputy Governor and former commissioner) and Terwase Orbunde (former Chief of Staff to Ortom) have expressed interest in contesting and suspended his campaign, respectively.
Incumbent PDP Governor Ifeanyi Okowa was re-elected to a second term in 2019 with 80.17% of the vote. He will be term-limited in 2023 and cannot seek re-election for a third term. A rumored APC candidate is Senator for Delta Central and Senate Deputy PresidentOvie Omo-Agege.[128] Announced PDP candidates are David Edevbie (former Commissioner for Finance and former Yar'Adua aide), Kenneth Gbagi (2015 PDP gubernatorial candidate and former Minister of State for Education), and Fred Majemite (former Commissioner and husband of former Ethiope West LG Chairwoman Faith Majemite) while there are multiple potential candidates including James Manager (Senator for Delta South), Kingsley Otuaro (Deputy Governor), and Sheriff Oborevwori (House of Assembly member for Okpe and Speaker of the House of Assembly).[129]
The PDP candidate is Ifeanyichukwu Odii[131] which was confirmed by a court ruling[132] while other aspirants candidates include Joseph Ogba (Senator for Ebonyi Central), Edwin Anayo (House of Representatives member for Ezza North/Ishielu), Fidelis Nwankwo (former Minister of State for Health), Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru (House of Assembly member for Izzi West and Speaker of the House of Assembly), Sylvester Ogbaga (House of Representatives member for Abakaliki/Izzi), and Chris Usulor (House of Assembly member for Ezza South and son of former Senator for Ebonyi Central Vincent Obasi Usulor).[130]
Incumbent APC Governor Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya was elected to a first term in 2019 with 59.88% of the vote. He has announced his run for re-election. A rumored PDP candidate is former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, former House of Representatives member for Dukku/Nafada, and 2019 PDP gubernatorial nominee Usman Bayero Nafada.
Incumbent APC Governor Aminu Bello Masari was re-elected to a second term in 2019 with 70.04% of the vote. He will be term-limited in 2023 and cannot seek re-election for a third term. Rumored APC candidates include Minister of Aviation Hadi Sirika, Senator for Katsina North Ahmad Babba Kaita, SMEDAN Director-General Dikko Umaru Radda, Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria Managing Director/CEO Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, and former House of Representatives member for Katsina Central Abubakar Sadiq Yar'adua.[141]
Incumbent APC Governor Simon Lalong was re-elected to a second term in 2019 with 51.35% of the vote. He will be term-limited in 2023 and cannot seek re-election for a third term. Rumored APC candidates include Deputy Governor Sonni Gwanle Tyoden and Plateau Central Senator Dimka Ayuba. Rumored PDP candidates include former Pankshin/Kanke/Kanam Representative Timothy Golu and former Nigeria Immigration Service Comptroller-General and 2019 PDP Plateau Central senatorial nominee David Shikfu Parradang.
Incumbent PDP Governor Darius Ishaku was re-elected to a second term in 2019 with 57.21% of the vote. He will be term-limited in 2023 and cannot seek re-election for a third term. Some rumored PDP candidates include Victor Bala Kona (former Taraba State PDP Chairman), Joseph Albasu Kunini (House of Assembly member for Lau and Speaker of the House of Assembly), and Anthony George Manzo (former Senator for Taraba North).[152]
Incumbent APC Governor Mai Mala Buni was elected to a first term in 2019 with 81.26% of the vote. He is eligible to run for re-election, but has not yet stated whether he will do so. A potential PDP candidate is 2019 PDP gubernatorial nominee Umar Iliya Damagum.
Incumbent PDP-turned-APC Governor Bello Matawalle was elected to a first term in 2019 after a court decision. He is eligible to run for re-election, but has not yet stated whether he will do so. A potential PDP candidate is Deputy Governor Mahdi Aliyu Mohammed Gusau.[153]
^This figure is based on 876,387 (the number of accredited voters); 869,106 voters (39.57%) cast votes (validly or invalidly) while 853,819 voters (38.87%) cast valid votes. Another turnout metric used by INEC is based on Permanent Voter Card-holding voters: either the percent of Permanent Voter Card-holding voters that were accredited to vote (44.47%) or the percent of Permanent Voter Card-holding voters that cast a vote—either validly or invalidly (44.10%); also used is the percent of Permanent Voter Card-holding voters that cast valid votes (43.33%).
^This figure is based on the number of accredited voters (1,058,381); 1,049,600 voters (38.18%) cast votes (validly or invalidly) while 1,034,379 voters (37.62%) cast valid votes. Another turnout metric used by INEC is based on Permanent Voter Card-holding voters: either the percent of Permanent Voter Card-holding voters that were accredited to vote (38.89%) or the percent of Permanent Voter Card-holding voters that cast a vote—either validly or invalidly (38.56%); also used is the percent of Permanent Voter Card-holding voters that cast valid votes (38.00%).
.jpg)
.jpg)
.png)
.jpg)
