Toba Owojaiye reporting
Abuja, Nigeria
Months after several seats in the National Assembly became vacant due to the deaths or resignations of lawmakers, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has yet to conduct constitutionally mandated by-elections to fill the gaps: leaving millions of Nigerians across seven constituencies without representation.
Truth Live News gathered that, currently, two senatorial seats and five seats in the House of Representatives remain unoccupied. The vacant seats arose from five deaths and two transitions into executive office, including one lawmaker who became governor and another who became a deputy governor.
Despite the clear constitutional requirement(Section 76(2) and 116(2) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended)) for INEC to conduct elections within 90 days of a declared vacancy, the Commission has not acted. This prolonged delay has triggered growing outrage among constituents, political leaders, and civil society organizations.
The Senate is missing representation in:
Anambra South, following the death of Senator Ifeanyi Ubah (APC) in September 2024.
Edo Central, after Senator Monday Okpebholo (APC) was elected Governor of Edo State in the September 2024 off-cycle elections.
In the House of Representatives, the following five seats remain vacant:
Garki/Babura (Jigawa) – Rep. Isa Dogonyaro, died in May 2024.
Ibadan North (Oyo) – Rep. Olaide Akinremi, passed away in July 2024.
Chikun/Kajuru (Kaduna) – Rep. Ekene Adams, also died in July 2024.
Ikenne/Sagamu/Remo North (Ogun) – Rep. Adewunmi Onanuga, Deputy Chief Whip, died in January 2025.
Ovia Federal Constituency (Edo) – Rep. Dennis Idahosa vacated the seat after becoming Deputy Governor in September 2024.
Notably, Senate President Godswill Akpabio has formally declared the senatorial seats vacant, thereby activating INEC’s obligation to organize by-elections.
INEC has attributed the delay to a lack of funds. According to Timi Oyekanmi, Chief Press Secretary to INEC Chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu:
“INEC will conduct all outstanding by-elections in due course. We have been hampered by lack of funds. But we are confident that all funding issues will soon be resolved.”
Some INEC officials have also alluded to security challenges, especially in parts of Kaduna and the North-West, as reasons for the Commission’s hesitation, raising concerns about the safety of election staff and materials.
In affected communities, residents feel abandoned and silenced. In Kajuru, Kaduna State, where Rep. Ekene Adams died nearly a year ago, Benjamin Yuhana Maigari, a local community leader, lamented:
“We feel forgotten, neglected, and unrepresented.”
Similarly, in Ovia Federal Constituency, Dr. Jerry Osamede criticized the 150-day absence of representation as “a democratic failure.” He asked, “Who speaks for us in the National Assembly? Who tracks our constituency development funds?”
Even more pressing are questions about accountability: “Where does the salary and the money for constituency projects go?” asked Victor Edoro, a former Edo State lawmaker, pressing for transparency.
Political parties across the spectrum have called INEC’s delay unacceptable. The PDP Secretary in Edo State, Hilary Otsu, labeled the situation “a bad omen for democracy.” The Acting APC Chairman, Jarret Tenabe, described the delay as a breach of constitutional and democratic principles.
Elder statesman Chief Chekwas Okorie took a firmer stance:
“The National Assembly should have called INEC to order. The constituents are not being represented, and that is a failure of both the electoral body and the legislature.”
Civil society leaders echoed the concerns. Samson Itodo, Executive Director of Yiaga Africa, emphasized that by-elections are not just procedural but foundational to Nigeria’s democratic contract.
“Delays in formal vacancy declarations and funding bottlenecks show that structural reforms are necessary,” Itodo said.
Academic and governance expert Prof. Chris Kwaja recommended legal reforms to limit the powers of presiding officers in delaying vacancy declarations: suggesting a statutory timeframe for such announcements.
Nigeria’s political landscape is already facing questions about voter apathy, electoral trust, and representative accountability. This delay has only further eroded confidence in electoral institutions. Analysts argue that INEC’s performance post-2023 general elections has been under scrutiny, and failing to swiftly restore representation deepens institutional cynicism.
The absence of elected representatives in seven federal constituencies (some for over eight months)undermines Nigeria’s constitutional guarantees and weakens the voice of affected citizens in national governance. While INEC cites funding and security challenges, public sentiment suggests these reasons are no longer tenable.