By Boluwatife Oshadiya | April 1, 2026
Key Points
- Senate declares three seats vacant following deaths of sitting lawmakers
- Affected districts: Enugu North, Nasarawa North, Rivers South-East
- INEC directed to conduct by-elections within constitutional timeframe
Main Story
The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, on Tuesday declared three senatorial seats vacant following the deaths of members of Nigeria’s 10th Senate.
The affected constituencies include Enugu North Senatorial District, Nasarawa North Senatorial District, and Rivers South-East Senatorial District. The announcement was made during plenary in line with constitutional provisions governing legislative vacancies.
Akpabio stated that the declaration enables the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct by-elections to fill the seats within the legally mandated timeframe.
“Due to the tragedies that have befallen the 10th Senate, vacancies have been created for midterm elections,” Akpabio said.
He further emphasized that the Constitution requires fresh polls to be conducted within approximately 30 days of the declaration.
What’s Being Said
“The swift declaration ensures continuity in representation and legislative balance,” said constitutional lawyer Festus Ogun.
“INEC now faces pressure to deliver credible and timely by-elections,” noted electoral analyst Clement Nwankwo.
What’s Next
- INEC is expected to announce dates for the by-elections imminently
- Political parties will begin candidate selection processes in affected districts
- Campaign activities are likely to intensify within weeks
The Bottom Line:
The vacancies set off a fresh electoral cycle in three key districts, testing INEC’s readiness and reopening political competition in the Senate at a critical time.
