The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, on Tuesday announced the vacancy of three senatorial seats following the deaths of serving lawmakers.
The affected constituencies include the Enugu North Senatorial District, Nasarawa North Senatorial District, and Rivers South-East Senatorial District.
Akpabio made the declaration during plenary, explaining that the decision was in line with constitutional provisions that require such seats to be declared vacant upon the demise of their occupants.
“Due to the tragedies that have befallen the 10th Senate, vacancies have been created for midterm elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission to ensure that we fill the seats left vacant by the demise of our colleagues,” he said.
Following the announcement, the Senate President directed the electoral body to organise by-elections to fill the vacant positions within the legally stipulated timeframe.
“In line with the provisions of our Constitution, the Independent National Electoral Commission is accordingly mandated to conduct fresh polls to fill these vacant senatorial seats in the affected states within the time specified in the Constitution, which is about 30 days from this declaration,” he added.
The declaration sets the stage for fresh elections in the affected districts, as political parties begin preparations to field candidates for the vacant seats.
What you should know
The declaration of vacant senatorial seats triggers a constitutional process requiring INEC to conduct by-elections within a limited timeframe.
These elections are crucial to maintaining full legislative representation for affected districts. The development also opens up political competition, as parties will move quickly to nominate candidates.
The outcome of the by-elections could slightly shift the balance of power in the Senate, especially if opposition parties gain or lose ground.
