The House of Representatives has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to restore 12 suppressed state constituencies in Kogi State.
The defunct constituencies are: 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.
This followed the adoption of a motion moved by the member representing the Ijumu/Kabba federal constituency of Kogi State, Hon. Salman Idris and eight others at plenary yesterday.
Moving the motion, Idris said Section 91 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) provides that “a House of Assembly of a state shall consist of three or four times the number of seats that state has in the House of Representatives divided in a way to reflect, as far as possible, nearly equal population.”
He said Section 114(1) provides for periodic review of state constituencies, not less than ten years and may alter such constituencies to such an extent that they may be considered durable in the light of the review.
Idris said the gubernatorial and State Assembly elections were held on December 15, 1991, in Kogi State. There were 32 state constituencies in which elections were duly conducted and winners declared.
He argued that Kogi State, which has nine (9) seats in the House of Representatives, should have at least 27 or 36 House of Assembly seats as provided in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).
“The last review of state constituencies in Nigeria by INEC was in 1998, suppressing some Constituencies in the Kogi State House of Assembly seats. From 1998 to date, the Independent National Electoral Commission has continued suppressing the Kogi State House of Assembly Seats.
“Worried that the essence of participatory democracy is to ensure inclusive governance aimed at bringing a balanced development through quality representation, Kogi State has remained under-represented as a result of this unconstitutional gross suppression of the number of seats in the Kogi.
State House of Assembly.
“Also worried that the Independent National Electoral Commission has continued to act in ultra vires due to the exclusion of the constituencies mentioned above.
Convinced that the restoration of the suppressed Constituencies in Kogi State will further deepen our
democracy in terms of quality representation and grassroots development and promote equality,” he noted.
Also, at the plenary, the House adopted a motion made by Hon. Benedict Etanabene seeking the restoration of the Sapele II State Assembly constituency of Delta state.
In his debate, Etanabene noted that in 1991, the defunct National Electoral Commission of Nigeria (NECON) delineated Delta State into 38 State Assembly Constituencies in line with Sections 85, 104, 105, 106, and 107 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1979, which was almost imperia material with Sections 91, 112, 113, 114, and 115 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).
He said elections were conducted in 38 State Assembly constituencies, including Sapele II and State Assembly, during the 1991 general polls.
“Upon the establishment of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in 1998, which replaced the National Electoral Commission of Nigeria (NECON), the commission suppressed some State Assembly constituencies, among which is Sapele II State Assembly Constituency,” he noted.
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