The Senate has formally declared the Ondo South Senatorial District seat vacant following the diplomatic appointment of its senator, Jimoh Ibrahim, as Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, and has directed the Independent National Electoral Commission to conduct a by-election to fill the vacancy within the timeframe prescribed by the Electoral Act.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio announced the decision during plenary, simultaneously directing the Clerk to the National Assembly, Kamorudeen Ogunlana, to formally notify the commission of the development. Akpabio noted that the law required the commission to fill the vacancy within 30 days of receiving official notification.
Ibrahim had been among the more outspoken members of the chamber, particularly on national security issues, serving as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Inter-Parliamentary Affairs before his diplomatic appointment. He had previously contested the 2024 Ondo State governorship primary on the All Progressives Congress platform but was defeated by Lucky Aiyedatiwa, who went on to win the election.
During his legislative tenure, Ibrahim attracted national attention in July 2024 when he claimed to possess a mobile application capable of detecting firearms within a given geographic area, alleging that over 277 guns were present within the National Assembly and the Presidential Villa, though he provided no details on their ownership.
Attention now turns to the commission, which is expected to issue a detailed timetable for the by-election covering party primaries, campaigns, and the polling date.
