In the previous Senate elections, none of the three incumbent senators were returned, with longtime Senator David Mark (PDP-South) retiring whilst Barnabas Andyar Gemade (SDP-North-East) and George Akume (APC-North-West) were defeated in their re-election bids. In the South district, Patrick Abba Moro retained the seat for the PDP with 49% of the vote; the PDP gained the other two seats as Gabriel Suswam unseated Gemade with 53% in the North-East while Akume was defeated in the North-West by Emmanuel Yisa Orker-Jev with 57% of the vote. These results were a part of a wider shift back towards the PDP in Benue as PDP presidential nominee Atiku Abubakar narrowly won the state after Buhari had won it in 2015 and the PDP won seven House of Representatives seats. Similarly, Governor Samuel Ortom (PDP) won re-election by over 10% and the PDP won a majority in the House of Assembly.
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.[7] 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.[8] 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.[9][10][11][12]
On the primary date, seven candidates contested a direct primary that ended with Emmanuel Memga Udende—former MHR for Katsina-Ala/Ukum/Logo—winning the nomination after results showed him defeating Terlumun Akputu by a 40% margin.[13]
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.[14] 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;[15] challenges to the result could be made on 25 May.[16][17][18][19]
On the primary date, an indirect primary ended with Suswam's renomination as he was unopposed.[20]
In December 2022, reporting from The Punch stated that while Udende and Suswam were the two frontrunners, Torngee Malu (LP) could obtain a significant share of the vote total.[21]
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.[7] 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.[8] 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.[9][10][11][12]
On 30 May, a direct primary that ended with Titus Zam defeating two other candidates in a landslide.
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.[14] 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;[23] challenges to the result could be made on 25 May.[16][17][18][24]
Weeks before the primary, Orker-Jev declined to run for re-election in favour of outgoing Governor Samuel Ortom's senatorial ambition. On the primary date, Ortom was nominated unopposed at the venue in Makurdi. After the vote, Ortom thanked the people of the district and pledged to continue good representation.[25][20]
In review of the campaign in December 2022, reporting from The Nation observed regional elements to the election as Ortom's feud with PDP National Chairman Iyorchia Ayu reflected on their native communities as Ortom is a Jemgba Tiv while Ayu is a Minda Tiv. Another key factor noted was the ability of Ortom to use the power of his state government to help campaigning.[26] In a piece later that month from The Punch, reporting indicated that Ortom had met with several Minda Tiv community leaders to gain their support while Zam had been hindered by the rising candidacy of Mark Gbillah (LP)—a MHR who, like Zam, originates from Gwer West LGA.[21] A piece from The Africa Report in January also noted regional sentiments and Gwer West vote splitting but focused more so on the Ortom versus former Governor George Akume dynamic. An analyst claimed "Zam is Akume's candidate" and thus the election was labeled effectively a contest between Ortom and Akume.[27]
In the fortnight prior to the election, the election came to national attention when Ortom endorsed Peter Obi in the presidential election on 17 February 2023.[28] While it was notable as he became the first incumbent governor to endorse Obi, in terms of the senatorial election, Ortom became in danger of internal PDP sanction due to the endorsement. Despite this threat, Ortom claimed that he was "sacrifice [his] senatorial ambition" for Obi's campaign.[29] Pundits noted the oddity of Ortom endorsing Obi while competing against Gbillah in addition to the rising popularity of APC gubernatorial nominee Hyacinth Alia.[30]
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.[7] 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.[8] 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.[9][10][11][12]
On 30 May, a direct primary that ended with activist Daniel Onjeh defeating four candidates in a landslide. In Onjeh's acceptance speech, he called on the party to unite behind him as its nominee.[22][31]
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.[14] 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;[32] challenges to the result could be made on 25 May.[16][17][18][33]
On May 28, four candidates contested an indirect primary that ended with Moro winning renomination after results showed him defeating Hassan Anthony Saleh by a significant margin.[34]
In a December 2022 campaign analysis article, The Punch labeled Moro as the frontrunner while Onjeh and Joseph Ojobo (LP) were noted as other major candidates.[21]
