Senate declares three senatorial seats vacant, mandates INEC by-elections

The Senate, led by President Godswill Akpabio, declared three senatorial seats vacant earlier this week following the deaths of incumbent lawmakers. The affected districts are Enugu North, Nasarawa North, and Rivers South-East Senatorial Districts. This constitutional process triggers by-elections to fill the vacancies.

Akpabio announced during plenary that INEC must conduct fresh polls within approximately 30 days from the declaration, as stipulated by the Nigerian Constitution. He noted that these 'midterm elections' are necessary to ensure representation for citizens in those districts while the 10th Senate remains in session.

The by-elections will allow constituents in the three senatorial districts to elect new senators to serve the remainder of the current term. INEC has not yet announced specific dates or candidate nomination procedures, but legal frameworks require the commission to act promptly.

This impacts thousands of voters in Enugu State's northern district, Nasarawa State's northern district, and Rivers State's southeastern district who will now participate in special elections separate from the general electoral cycle. Political parties will need to nominate candidates for these three seats through their internal processes.

For constituents in these districts, this means an additional electoral opportunity before the next general election. For political parties, it's a chance to gain or retain Senate seats mid-term. Will parties field recognizable local figures or prominent politicians? What issues will dominate these district-specific campaigns?

SOURCE: https://www.channelstv.com/2026/03/31/akpabio-declares-three-senate-seats-vacant/