By Rejoice Peterside
The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, on Tuesday officially declared three senatorial seats vacant following the deaths of members of the 10th Senate, setting the stage for fresh by-elections across affected districts.
The declaration, made during plenary, affects Enugu North Senatorial District, Nasarawa North Senatorial District, and Rivers South-East Senatorial District.
Mr Akpabio said the action was in compliance with constitutional provisions, which mandate the legislature to formally declare seats vacant in the event of the death of a serving lawmaker.
“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 vacancies created by the demise of our colleagues,” he said.
Citing relevant sections of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the Senate President proceeded to formally announce each vacancy on the floor.
“I hereby declare vacant Enugu North Senatorial District. The seat is hereby declared vacant,” he stated, before extending the declaration to Nasarawa North and Rivers South-East senatorial districts.
Following the announcement, Mr Akpabio directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to organise by-elections to fill the vacant seats within the constitutionally 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 development is expected to trigger political activities across the affected states, as major political parties begin consultations and preparations to field candidates for the impending by-elections.
Observers say the elections will not only determine representation for the affected constituencies but may also influence the balance of power in the Senate, depending on the outcomes.
The vacancies come amid ongoing legislative activities in the 10th Senate, with lawmakers continuing deliberations on key national issues, including budget implementation and economic reforms.
Political analysts note that INEC’s swift compliance with the directive will be crucial in ensuring that constituents in the affected districts are not left without representation for an extended period.
