Senate declares Okpebholo’s seat vacant

Until his election and inauguration as governor, Mr Okpebholo, a member of the APC, was the senator representing the Edo Central Senatorial District.

The Senate on Wednesday declared the seat of Edo Central Senatorial District vacant.

The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the vacancy during the plenary after reading a letter from the minority leader, Abba Moro, requesting that the seat be declared vacant following the occupant’s inauguration as a governor.

The seat was earlier occupied by Monday Okpebholo, who was elected as governor of Edo state in September and subsequently sworn into office in December.

Since Mr Okpebholo’s inauguration, Edo Central Senatorial District has been left unrepresented in the Senate.

In the letter to the senate president, Mr Moro, the senator representing Benue South Senatorial District, demanded that the Senate leadership declare the Edo Central seat vacant in line with Paragraph D of Section 68 of the Nigerian Constitution.

“I write to bring to your attention Paragraph D of Section 68 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as amended, that the seat of Senator Monday Okpebholo, representing Edo Central Senatorial District, has become vacant.

“This vacancy has become necessary following Senator Monday Okpebholo’s inauguration as governor of Edo State, and in accordance with the Constitution, his seat is now deemed vacant, and we invite you to declare,” the letter reads.

The minority leader also requested that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) immediately conduct a by-election election for the senatorial district to fill the vacant position

“I respectfully request that you declare the seat of Edo Central Senatorial District vacant in compliance with the provisions of the Constitution and request the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to immediately conduct fresh elections to fill the vacancy accordingly.”

After declaring the seat vacant, Mr Akpabio thereafter called on the electoral commission to immediately conduct a by-election for the senatorial district to fill the vacant position.

“So in line with your letter and the Constitution, the seat of Edo Central central senatorial district is hereby declared vacant, and INEC is accordingly invited to conduct fresh elections to fill the seat left by Senator Monday Okpebholo,” Mr Akpabio said.