2023: Ozekhome Slams INEC Over Vacant Senate Seats

By Adeleye Kunle

Mike Ozekhome (SAN), a constitutional lawyer, has slammed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for failing to hold bye-elections for three Senate seats that became vacant.
According to Track News, three seats became vacant about four months ago after the lawmakers who occupied them resigned.

In the National Assembly, the vacant seats are Nasarawa West Senatorial District, Borno North Senatorial District, and Zamfara Central Senatorial District.

The seats were declared vacant after Senators Abdullahi Adamu and Abubakar Kyari were elected National Chairman and Deputy National Chairman (North) of the All Progressives Congress on March 26.

Senator Muhammad Hassan Nasiha resigned on March 1 after being appointed as Zamfara State’s Deputy Governor.

In an interview with Track News on Tuesday, Ozekhome stated that INEC has no reason not to hold by-elections for the vacant Senatorial seats.

He claimed that denying the Senatorial District representation was a grave injustice and an infringement on their legitimate rights.

“It’s inexcusable, egregious, and politically foolish,” he said. Senators are direct representatives of the people, so the constitution establishes three senatorial zones per state. In Nigeria, there are 109 senators. Senators, in addition to effectively representing their constituents, play critical oversight roles under Sections 88 and 89 of the 1999 constitution.

“They are also important in attracting constituency projects to their constituents, as well as in stabilizing their political parties in terms of voting numbers, whether achieving one-third or two-third majority votes.”

This article first appeared on Track News.