Akpabio Swears in Akobundu As Abia Central Senator

* As Senate wants Oko Poly renamed after Nwabueze

Sunday Aborisade in Abuja

The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, has sworn in Col. Augustine Akobundu as the senator representing Abia Central Senatorial District on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Akpabio, who presided over plenary, asked the Clerk to the Senate, Chinedu Akubueze, to administer the oaths of office and allegiance on Akobundu before he was led to his seat. 

Akobundu replaced Senator Darlington Nwokocha of the Labour Party (LP), who was the minority whip of the Senate before he was sacked by the Court of Appeal, Lagos Division on November 4, 2023. 

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Nwokocha as the winner of the February 25 senatorial election in Abia Central with a total of 92,116 votes. Akobundu came second with 41,477 votes.

Dissatisfied with the result, Akobundu, a former minister of state for defence, filed a petition before the election petition tribunal to upturn Nwokocha’s election.

His appeal was, however, rejected by the tribunal in September.

Not comfortable with the verdict, Akobundu, who was a former organising secretary of the PDP, approached the appellate court to further seek redress. 

Akobundu and Senator Osita Ngwu of Enugu West are the two senators of the PDP extractions from the South-east region at the National Assembly.

Meanwhile, the Senate on Wednesday observed a minute silence in honour of late Professor Ben Nwabueze.

The red chamber also resolved to send a letter to commiserate with the family of Nwabueze and the good people of Anambra State.

It also called for the renaming of Oko Polytechnic, Anambra State after Professor Nwabueze.

The resolutions of the Senate followed its consideration of a motion on the demise of Nwabueze by Senator Tony Nwoye (LP-Anambra North). 

Nwoye, in his lead debate, eulogized Nwabueze describing him as a legal icon who impacted the nation’s legal system positively during his lifetime. 

He said the role of Nwabueze in the nation’s constitutional evolution remains legendary. 

Akpabio described the late Nwabueze as one of the best legal minds in the country during his lifetime.