Four New Senators Take Oath as Senate Fills Vacancies Left by Deaths, Appointment
The red chamber of Nigeria’s National Assembly witnessed a moment of renewal on Wednesday as four newly elected senators formally took their seats in the Senate, marking the end of a series of by-elections conducted to fill vacancies created by deaths and a diplomatic appointment.
The new lawmakers — Danladi Halilu Envulu-Anza (APC, Nasarawa North), Ikeje Asogwa (APC, Enugu North), Olaka Nwogu (PDP, Rivers South-East), and Francis Faduyile (APC, Ondo South) — were sworn in amid applause from family members, political associates, traditional rulers and supporters who thronged the Senate chamber to witness the ceremony.
Their emergence followed recent by-elections organised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to fill seats that became vacant under varying circumstances.
Asogwa was elected to represent Enugu North following the death of Senator Okey Ezea in November 2025, while Nwogu secured the Rivers South-East seat after the passing of Senator Barry Mpigi in February. Faduyile’s election came in the wake of Senator Jimoh Ibrahim’s appointment as Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, while Envulu-Anza succeeded the late Senator Godiya Akwashiki in Nasarawa North.
In a rare move to accommodate the significance of the occasion, the Senate suspended Order 12 of its Standing Rules to allow guests access to the chamber during the inauguration. The decision followed a motion moved by Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele and seconded by Minority Leader Abba Moro.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio subsequently directed the Sergeant-at-Arms to usher the senators-elect and their guests into the chamber, setting the stage for the formal swearing-in ceremony.
Welcoming the lawmakers, Akpabio described their arrival as a valuable addition to the nation’s highest legislative institution and reminded them of the responsibility that accompanies public office.
“Today, you join this elite club, the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, with a responsibility to serve the Nigerian people,” he said.
The Clerk of the Senate thereafter administered the Oath of Allegiance in line with constitutional provisions, after which the lawmakers formally assumed their seats.
The occasion drew an array of dignitaries, including political leaders, traditional rulers and supporters from the senators’ constituencies. Akpabio acknowledged their presence and thanked them for honouring the event.
He urged the newly inaugurated senators to approach their legislative duties with commitment, patriotism and a deep sense of responsibility to their constituents and the nation.
As the ceremony concluded, the Senate President congratulated the political parties that secured victories in the by-elections and paid tribute to the departed lawmakers whose deaths necessitated the polls.
For the Senate, the inauguration signified not only the restoration of full representation for the affected constituencies but also a reminder of the continuity of democratic governance, where institutions endure and the voices of citizens remain represented despite unforeseen vacancies.
