The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has declared the Ondo South senatorial seat vacant following the appointment of Senator Jimoh Ibrahim as Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN).
Akpabio made the announcement during plenary on Tuesday, stating that the declaration takes immediate effect in line with constitutional provisions.
The Senate President also directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct a by-election within 30 days to fill the vacant seat.
Under the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the National Assembly is mandated to notify the electoral body whenever a vacancy occurs to enable the conduct of a fresh election.
PrimeTimes Nigeria understands that Ibrahim, on the 20th of April, began his diplomatic duties at the UN by presenting his Letters of Credence to UN Secretary-General António Guterres.
The presentation took place at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, United States.
Spokesperson of the Foreign Affairs Ministry, Kimiebi Ebienfa, who confirmed the development, described the move as a milestone in Nigeria’s diplomatic engagement at the global level.
With the formal submission of the letters, Ibrahim has been fully accredited to represent Nigeria at the UN.
He is expected to articulate the country’s positions on pressing international issues and participate actively in multilateral negotiations.
Before his appointment, Ibrahim, a businessman and politician, represented Ondo South Senatorial District on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).