The Senate has formally directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct by-elections to fill the vacant seats for Anambra-South and Edo-Central Senatorial Districts.
The Anambra-South seat became vacant following the death of Ifeanyi Ubah on July 26, 2024. For Edo-Central, the vacancy was created after Monday Okpebholo was elected as the governor of Edo State and inaugurated on November 12, 2024.
Both senators were elected under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, had previously declared the two seats vacant. Presiding over yesterday’s plenary, he formally instructed INEC to organise the by-elections to ensure proper representation for the affected districts.
ALSO, the Senate, yesterday, urged the INEC to restore Aniocha North II State Constituency, Delta State, in compliance with the Supreme Court judgment in Suit No. SC/129/2019.
The upper chamber of the National Assembly also called for the constituency’s inclusion in the next Delta State House of Assembly elections and resolved to seek the House of Representatives’ concurrence, as required by Section 115 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
The resolution followed a motion by Ned Nwoko (Delta North), who noted that the constituency’s legal battle began in 2014.
Although the Federal High Court initially dismissed the case, the Court of Appeal ruled in favour of its restoration in 2017, a decision upheld by the Supreme Court in 2019.
Despite INEC’s commitment to implementing the ruling and notifying the National Assembly in 2020, no action has been taken, leaving residents disenfranchised. Senators unanimously supported the motion, and Akpabio put it to a voice vote, approving the resolution.
