To replace the vacancies in the Edo Central and Anambra South Senatorial Districts, the Senate has requested that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) hold by-elections.
During Tuesday’s session, Senate President Godswill Akpabio formally announced the vacancy. The Edo Central seat was declared vacant by the upper chamber in 2024 after Monday Okpebholo was elected and sworn in as Edo State’s governor in December.
Likewise, since Senator Ifeanyi Ubah’s death in July 2024, the Anambra South seat has been vacant. Prior to holding a by-election for Anambra South, INEC had declared in January 2025 that it was seeking a formal request from the Senate.
Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Anambra State, Elizabeth Agu, reiterated this during a stakeholders’ dialogue organised by the International Press Centre (IPC) in Awka, the state capital.
With the senatorial districts currently unrepresented in the upper legislative chamber, Akpabio suggests INEC to conduct the elections to restore representation for the affected constituencies.
