Reps urge INEC to restore ‘suppressed’ state constituencies in Kogi, Delta

By EricJames Ochigbo

The House of Representatives has urged Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to restore what it called the suppressed state constituencies in Kogi and Delta.

The resolution followed the adoption of two separate motions by Reps. Salman Idris (APC-Kogi) and Benedict Etanabene (LP-Delta) at plenary on Wednesday.

Earlier, Idris had argued that Kabba-Bunu II, Ijumu II, Koton Karfe I, Yagba West I, Adavi II, Iffe/Ogodu, Igala Ogba, Okura, Enjema, Dekina Town, Olamaboro II and Bassa-Nge/Igbirra state constituencies were being suppressed.

He said that Section 112 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) vested INEC with the power to divide every state into a number of constituencies within such state.

According to him, Section 91 of the constitution provides that ‘a House of Assembly of a state shall consist of three or four times the number of seats that that state has in the House of Representatives, divided in a way to reflect, as far as possible, nearly equal population’.

He also quoted Section 114(1) as providing for periodic review of state constituencies, not less than 10 years, and may alter such constituencies to such an extent as it may consider durable in the light of the review.

Idris said he was aware that during the governorship and state assembly elections held on Dec. 14, 1991, Kogi had 32 constituencies where elections were duly conducted and winners declared.

He said that he was also aware that Kogi, with nine seats in the House of Representatives, was supposed to have 27 or 36 assembly seats, as provided for in the constitution.

The lawmaker said that the last review of state constituencies in Nigeria done by INEC was in 1998, which resulted in the suppression of some constituencies in the Kogi assembly seats.

He said that from 1998 till date, INEC had continued to suppress the assembly seats in term of constituencies.

According to him, the essence of participatory democracy is to ensure inclusive governance, aimed at bringing a balanced development through quality representation.

He said that Kogi had remained under- represented as a result of the ‘unconstitutional gross suppression’ of the number of seats in the state assembly.

On his part, Etanabene said that during the 1991 general elections, elections were conducted in 38 constituencies in the Delta House of Assembly, including Sapele II constituency.

Even though their tenure was short-lived, he said that the constituency delineation arrangement operated until 1998.

The lawmaker noted that with the establishment of INEC in 1998, the commission suppressed some state assembly constituencies, among which, he said, was Sapele II constituency.

He said that the constituents had secured judgment from a competent court restoring the constituency, adding, however, that INEC refused to implement the judgment.

The house, therefore, urged the INEC to restore affected constituencies in Kogi and Delta.

In his ruling, the Deputy Speaker, Rep. Benjamin Kalu, who presided over the plenary, mandated the Committee on Electoral Matters to interface with the INEC Chairman on the matter and report within four weeks for further legislative action. (NAN)