Senate Declares Edo Central And Anambra South Seats Vacant, Calls For By-Elections.
The Senate has officially declared the Edo Central and Anambra South Senatorial seats vacant and has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to organise by-elections to fill them.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio made the announcement during plenary on Tuesday, highlighting the need for prompt action to ensure adequate representation for the affected constituencies.
The Edo Central Senatorial seat became vacant after Monday Okpebholo, who was previously a senator, was sworn in as Governor of Edo State in December 2024. His election to the governorship meant he had to vacate his Senate position, leaving the district without a representative in the upper legislative chamber.
Similarly, the Anambra South Senatorial seat has remained unoccupied since the passing of Senator Ifeanyi Ubah in July 2024. Since his demise, the district has lacked representation in the Senate, raising concerns over legislative oversight and constituency engagement.
In January 2025, INEC had stated that it could not proceed with a by-election for Anambra South until it received an official request from the Senate. This position was reaffirmed by the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Anambra, Elizabeth Agu, during a stakeholders’ meeting organised by the International Press Centre (IPC) in Awka, the state capital.
With both senatorial districts currently unrepresented, Akpabio underscored the urgency of conducting the elections without further delay. He emphasised that the affected constituencies deserve to have their voices heard in the Senate and called on INEC to take swift action in organising the by-elections.
As the nation awaits INEC’s response, stakeholders and constituents in both districts will be keenly watching for the next steps to ensure their representation is restored in the Senate.
