On Tuesday, March 11, the Senate gave a big order to the Independent National Electoral Commission, or INEC for short: it’s time to hold by-elections to find new senators for Anambra South and Edo Central.
The Senate’s leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio, made this announcement during a meeting while saying those seats are officially empty.
Back on Monday, January 13, INEC said they were waiting for the Senate to tell them to start the by-elections, especially for Anambra South, which has been empty since last year.
Here’s why the seats are open: in Anambra South, Senator Ifeanyi Ubah from the All Progressives Congress (APC) sadly passed away on Saturday, July 27, 2024, because of a heart problem in London. He was 52 and had just gone to the United Kingdom two days earlier, on Thursday, July 25. Over in Edo Central, Senator Monday Okpebholo won a big election to become Edo State’s governor on Sunday, September 22, 2024, so he left his Senate seat behind.
INEC says Okpebholo got 291,667 votes to beat Asue Ighodalo from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who got 247,655 votes.
The Senate even had a special goodbye session for Okpebholo in December 2024 after he won.
Elizabeth Agu, INEC’s boss in Anambra State, recently promised they’re ready to hold these by-elections as soon as the Senate says go. She shared this news during a fun meeting with important people in Awka, put together by the International Press Centre.
