By NAOMI SHARANG/NEFISHETU YAKUBU

Sen. Victor Umeh, representing Anambra Central Senatorial District, says political parties are currently overwhelmed with preparations for the 2027 general elections.

This, according to him, is making participation in the June 20 by-elections dependent on the readiness of individual candidates and political parties.

Umeh stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Abuja.

NAN recalls that the Senate had recently declared four senatorial seats vacant, following the deaths of three senators and the appointment of another senator to a diplomatic position.

The affected seats are: Enugu North Senatorial District, formerly occupied by the late Sen. Okechukwu Ezea; Nasarawa North Senatorial District, formerly represented by the late Sen. Godiya Akwashiki and Rivers South-East Senatorial District, formerly held by the late Sen. Barinada Mpigi.

NAN also reports that the Ondo South Senatorial seat was equally declared vacant, following Sen. Jimoh Ibrahim’s appointment as Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations.

Speaking on the forthcoming by-elections, Umeh, who recently defected to Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), said many political parties had already fixed their programmes and schedules ahead of the 2027 polls, leaving limited room for additional electoral activities.

He said that only the political parties and candidates with the capacity and willingness to participate in the by-elections would do so, as the major focus of most political organisations remained the 2027 general elections.

“The parties are overwhelmed with activities for the 2027 general elections. They already have schedules.

“Only those who are able to take part can participate. Otherwise, the focus is on the general elections,” he said.

Reacting to concerns that conducting by-elections close to the general elections could amount to a waste of resources, the senator said the decision would depend on the political calculations of candidates and parties involved.

He explained that political actors would have to decide whether to commit resources to a by-election now or wait for the general election cycle.

“You either go through the whole process for the by-election now and then return for another election next year. You have to choose which one to participate in,” the senator said.

NAN reports that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had fixed June 20 for the by-elections, with the general elections coming up in January 2027. (NAN)

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