Senate President Godswill Akpabio has declared three senatorial seats vacant following the deaths of their occupants, triggering fresh by-elections in Enugu North, Nasarawa North, and Rivers South East.
The announcement was made during Tuesday’s plenary, as the Senate continues to navigate a period of political shifts and internal realignment.
Addressing lawmakers, Akpabio said the vacancies were a direct result of recent losses within the chamber.
“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 stated.
Invoking provisions of the 1999 Constitution as amended, the Senate President formally declared each of the affected seats vacant, beginning with Enugu North, followed by Nasarawa North and Rivers South East.
He subsequently directed the Independent National Electoral Commission to organize elections to fill the vacant seats within the constitutionally required timeframe of about 30 days.
The development comes at a time of heightened political activity in the Senate, where recent defections have reshaped party alignments.
Earlier in the month, a group of lawmakers moved from minority parties to the African Democratic Congress during a plenary session, further shifting the balance within the chamber.
The upcoming by-elections are expected to serve as an early indicator of the evolving political landscape across the affected regions.
