Imo, C’Rivers seats remain vacant as Lawan swears in new senators

President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, yesterday swore in four senators who emerged victorious in the last by-elections held across the country, with Imo North and Cross/River North seats remaining vacant.

Despite the fact that a by-election has been conducted to fill the vacant seat created by the death of Senator Benjamin Uwajumogu in Imo North last December, no candidate has emerged to represent the senatorial district in the upper legislative chamber.

Cross River North is suffering similar fate, as its elected senator was not sworn in due to a court case. Hence, the seats of the two senatorial districts remain vacant.

At the plenary yesterday, the Senate president administered the oat of office on former governor of Bayelsa State, Seriake Dickson (PDP), representing Bayelsa West Senatorial District; Cleopas Moses (PDP – Bayelsa Central); Nora Ladi Daduut (APC – Plateau South); and Michael Adetokunbo Abiru (APC – Lagos East).

The lawmakers were sworn in at exactly 11:04am shortly after the commencement of plenary.

Two of the newly sworn in lawmakers, Daduut and Abiru replaced the late Senators Ignatius Longjan (Plateau South) and Bayo Osinowo (Lagos East) who died in 2020 and 2019.

Abiru, Born on March 25, 1964, served as the Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Polaris Bank Limited until his resignation on August 24, 2020, to contest the Lagos East senatorial by-election on the platform of the APC.

Abiru was also the executive director at First Bank Nigeria from 2013 to 2016, and served as the Commissioner for Finance, Lagos State, from 2011 to 2013 under the leadership of then Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola.

Prof. Nora Daduut, born 10th May, 1953, until her election, was the head of the French Department, University of Jos.