- Safiu Kehinde
The Senate has on Wednesday sworn in two newly elected senators, Joseph Ikpea and Emmanuel Nwachukwu, representing Edo Central and Anambra South senatorial districts, respectively.
Ikpea and Nwachukwu were sworn-in during the Senate’s plenary session on Wednesday.
The ceremony was presided over by the Senate President Godswill Akpabio with the Clerk of the Senate, Emmanuel Ojo, administering the oath of office and allegiance to the new lawmakers.
They were sworn-in after emerging winner of the by-elections conducted to fill two vacant Senate seats, one previously held by Monday Okpebholo, now Governor of Edo State and the other by the late Sen. Ifeanyi Ubah, who died in July 2024.
Nwachukwu polled 90,408 votes to defeat his closest rival, Chief Azuka Okwuosa, of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who scored 19,847 votes.
On the other hand, Ikpea was declared winner as he polled 105,129 votes to defeat his closest rival, Joe Okojie of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), who scored 15,146 votes.
Akpabio in his remarks congratulated the new senators and reminded that they have been called for national duty.
The Senate President urged them to focus their representation on the generality of Nigerians and not their political parties.
He urged them to imbibe the contents of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution as amended and the senate standing rules to be acquainted with the workings of the senate.