The Senate, on Wednesday, administered the oath of office to two new senators — Joseph Ikpea of the All Progressives Congress (APC), representing Edo Central, and Emmanuel Nwachukwu of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), representing Anambra South.
Their swearing-in followed recent bye-elections conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to fill vacant seats in the two senatorial districts.
The Edo Central seat became vacant after the former occupant, Senator Monday Okpebholo, was elected Governor of Edo State, paving the way for Joseph Ikpea’s emergence. In Anambra South, the death of Senator Ifeanyi Ubah earlier in the year necessitated the by-election, which saw candidates from 12 political parties contest on August 16.
With their induction, the composition of the 10th Senate now stands at: APC – 71 senators, PDP – 28, Labour Party (LP) – 5, NNPP – 1, SDP – 2, and APGA – 2, making up a total of 109 members.
The Clerk of the Senate, Emmanuel Odo, administered the oath of office and allegiance to the two lawmakers during plenary.
In his congratulatory remarks, Senate President Godswill Akpabio welcomed the new members, describing the Senate as “a family of the most elite club in the world.” He urged them to familiarize themselves with the 1999 Constitution and the Senate Standing Orders as amended in 2023.
Akpabio further encouraged the lawmakers to work for national progress, reminding them that they now represent the entire Federal Republic of Nigeria, not just their political parties.
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