Akpabio announces vacancy of three senatorial positions

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Senate President, Godswill Akpabio

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* As Senate Confirms Magnus Abe as NUPRC Chairman, 2 others as Non-Executive Commissioners

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By Henry Umoru

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The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has declared three Senate Seats vacant.

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Akpabio, who made the announcement during yesterday’s plenary, said the seats were declared vacant following the tragic loss of some members of the 10th Senate.

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Recall that the three seats became vacant following the death of three Senators.

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The three who died were Senators Okechukwu Ezea (Enugu North), Godiya Akwaashiki (Nasarawa North), and Barinada Mpigi (Rivers South East).

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Akpabio said, “These unfortunate events necessitate the conduct of midterm elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to fill the affected seats.

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“Accordingly, and in line with the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), I hereby declare the following senatorial seats vacant:

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“Enugu State – Enugu North Senatorial District is hereby declared vacant. Nasarawa State – Nasarawa North Senatorial District is hereby declared vacant. Rivers State-Rivers South East Senatorial District is hereby declared vacant”.

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Akpabio further said that: “In compliance with constitutional provisions, INEC is hereby mandated to conduct by-elections to fill these vacancies within the stipulated timeframe.

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“The timeframe is approximately 30 days from the date of this declaration.

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“May the souls of our departed colleagues rest in perfect peace”.

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Meanwhile, the Senate has confirmed Senator Magnus Abe as chairman of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC).

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Also confirmed were Engineer Paul Yaro Jezhi, a former Trade Union Congress chairman in Kaduna State, and Mr Sunday Adebayo Babalola, a former deputy director at the defunct Department of Petroleum Resources. Both were nominated as non-executive commissioners.

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The confirmation yesterday was a sequel to the consideration of the report presented by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream), Senator Jonah Eteng, APC, Cross River Central.

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President Bola Tinubu had this month written to the Senate, seeking the screening and subsequent confirmation of Senator Abe and others.

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Abe’s nomination was a result of the resignation of Gbenga Komolafe.

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