The Senate has formally declared the Edo Central and Anambra South Senatorial seats vacant and has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to organize by-elections to fill the positions.
During Tuesday’s plenary session, Senate President Godswill Akpabio announced the decision, noting that the Edo Central seat has been empty since Monday Okpebholo assumed office as Governor of Edo State in December 2024.
Okpebholo, who was elected governor, had to relinquish his Senate seat, leaving the district without representation.
Similarly, the Anambra South Senatorial seat has been vacant since the death of Senator Ifeanyi Ubah in July 2024.
Following his passing, the district has lacked representation in the Senate.
In January 2025, INEC indicated that it could not proceed with a by-election for Anambra South without an official request from the Senate.
Elizabeth Agu, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Anambra, reiterated this point during a stakeholders’ meeting organized by the International Press Centre (IPC) in Awka, the state capital.
With both senatorial districts currently unrepresented in the upper legislative chamber, Akpabio emphasized the urgency for INEC to conduct the elections promptly.
He highlighted that the affected constituencies deserve to have their voices represented in the Senate, and the vacancies should be filled as soon as possible.
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