The Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State, Jarret Tenebe, has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to cede the responsibility of conducting a bye-election to fill the seats vacated by Governor Monday Okpebholo and his deputy, Dennis Idahosa at the National Assembly if it is financially incapacitated or lacks the will to conduct these elections as the members of their constituencies had been without representation for several months
The vacant seats are that of Edo South senatorial district and Ovia North-East/South-West Federal Constituency.
Newsmata.com.ng reports that the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio had on Wednesday December 11, 2024, declared Senator Okpebholo’s seat vacant following his election as governor and subsequent resignation, and urged INEC to conduct a bye-election to fill the vacancy to ensure Edo Central senatorial district continued to have representation. The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abass, had in a similar vein, declared vacant the Ovia North-East/South-West Federal Constituency seat hitherto occupied by Idahosa after he emerged the deputy governor of the state.
In a statement on Monday in Benin City, Tenebe expressed displeasure over what he described as an unjustifiable delay in filling the vacant seats, warning that the people of the affected constituencies had been left without representation for over three months—an action he said contravened democratic principles and electoral guidelines.
He noted that “The people of Edo Central Senatorial District and Ovia North-East/South-West Federal Constituency have been without proper representation for three months now. This is against the spirit and letters of our constitution and democratic norms”.
While urging INEC to act swiftly, the state APC chairman stated that if the Commission lacked the financial capacity to organise the bye-elections, it should consider transferring the responsibility to the Edo State Independent Electoral Commission (EDSIEC).
According to him, “If INEC is financially incapacitated or lacks the will to conduct these elections, then they should cede the responsibility to the Edo State Independent Electoral Commission (EDSIEC). The people cannot continue to be denied their right to representation”.
He contended that the continued delay not only disenfranchised constituents but also undermined the integrity of the democratic process, adding, “This inaction sends a wrong message. It undermines the very essence of democracy, which thrives on representation and participation”.