The House of Representatives has approved the creation of two
new State constituencies for Benue State.
The approval followed a proposal to the House of Representatives
by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that the
boundaries of Guma State Constituency be altered by creating two
state Constituencies.
The new State constituencies created from Guma are Guma State
Constituency and Agasha State Constituency.
Attempts by other lawmakers to compel INEC to include their
States in the alterations of constituencies considered failed to
sail through.
Speaker Yakubu Dogara, while ruling on the motion Tuesday said
the approval of Guma and Agasha constituencies was strictly based
on Supreme Court judgment and cannot be altered.
In his lead debate, sponsor of the motion, Edward Pwajok (PDP,
Plateau), Chairman Rules and Business Committee noted that Section
91 of the 1999 constitution (as amended) provides that subject to
the provisions of this “Constitution, 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”
According to him, the same Section provides that a House of
Assembly of a State shall consist of not less than 24 and not more
than 40 members.
He backed his argument with constitutional provisions, saying,
“Section 112 of the 1999 Constitution provides that “Subject to the
provisions of Sections 91 and 113 of the 1999 Constitution, INEC
shall divide every State in the Federation into such number of
State Constituencies as is equal to three or four times the number
of Federal Constituencies within that State”.
“Section 113 of the 1999 Constitution provides that “The
boundaries of each State Constituency shall be such that the number
of inhabitants thereof is as nearly equal to the population quota
as is reasonably practicable”.
The lawmaker also referred to Section 114 of the 1999
Constitution which provides that “The Independent Electoral
Commission shall review the division of every State into
Constituencies at intervals of not less than ten years. and may
alter such Constituencies in accordance with the provisions of this
Section to such extent as it may consider desirable in the light of
the review”
He said: “Cognizance should be taken that Benue State has 11
Federal Constituencies and 29 State Constituencies and by the
constitutionally prescribed threshold of minimum number of State
constituencies per state, Benue State should have a minimum of 33
State Constituencies.
“It should be noted that the Supreme Court of Nigeria, in the
case of INEC V GUMA Local Government Council, Suit No.
(SC/195/2016) ordered the INEC to create additional Agasha State
Constituency from GUMA State constituency of Benue State.
“Also, it’s acknowledged that INEC has taken steps to comply
with the Supreme Court judgment by consulting all stake holders and
undertaking trothing exercise to map the boundaries of the area
concerned.
“It is also acknowledged the receipt of a proposal from INEC
dated 18 April 2019 requesting the National Assembly to approve the
establishment of two State Constituencies from Guma State
Constituency of Benue State”.
The motion was unanimously adopted after a voice vote.