Senate Directs INEC to Conduct By-Elections for Anambra South, Edo Central Seats

The Senate on Tuesday directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct by-elections to fill the vacant seats in Anambra South and Edo Central Senatorial Districts.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio issued the directive during plenary, officially declaring the seats vacant.

INEC had earlier stated in January 2025 that it was awaiting a formal request from the Senate before proceeding with the by-elections, particularly for Anambra South, which has remained unoccupied since 2024.

The Anambra South senatorial seat became vacant following the death of Senator Ifeanyi Ubah of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on July 27, 2024. Ubah, 52, reportedly died of cardiac arrest in London two days after traveling to the United Kingdom.

Similarly, the Edo Central senatorial seat was left vacant after Senator Monday Okpebholo of the APC was elected governor of Edo State in the September 22, 2024, governorship election.

Okpebholo secured 291,667 votes to defeat his closest rival, Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who garnered 247,655 votes.

The Senate had already declared his seat vacant in 2024 after a valedictory session in his honor.

INEC’s Resident Electoral Commissioner in Anambra State, Elizabeth Agu, recently reaffirmed the commission’s readiness to conduct the by-elections once directed by the Senate.

She made this statement during a stakeholders’ dialogue organized by the International Press Centre in Awka, the Anambra State capital.

With the Senate’s directive now in place, INEC is expected to announce a date for the by-elections in the coming days.