Akpabio Declares Ondo South Senate Seat Vacant, Orders By-Election, Ibrahim in UN

Sunday Aborisade in Abuja 

The Senate, yesterday, declared the seat representing Ondo South Senatorial District vacant following the appointment of its occupant, Jimoh Ibrahim, as Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations.

Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the decision during plenary, directing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct a by-election to fill the vacancy in line with the Electoral Act.

Akpabio also mandated the Clerk to the National Assembly, Kamorudeen Ogunlana, to formally notify INEC of the development, noting that the law required the electoral body to fill the vacant seat within 30 days.

Ibrahim, who was known as one of the more outspoken lawmakers in the chamber, particularly on issues of insecurity, represented Ondo South Senatorial District until his recent diplomatic appointment.

Before his exit, Ibrahim served as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Inter-Parliamentary Affairs. He had also contested the 2024 Ondo State governorship primary on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) but lost to Lucky Aiyedatiwa, who went on to win the election.

During his tenure, Ibrahim drew attention in July 2024 when he claimed to possess a mobile application capable of detecting the number of firearms within his jurisdiction, alleging at the time that over 277 guns were within the National Assembly and the Presidential Villa, though he did not provide details on their ownership.

With the declaration of the vacancy, attention now shifts to INEC, which is expected to issue a notice outlining the timetable for the by-election, including party primaries, campaigns and the polling date.