Following the adoption of a motion by the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, at Wednesday’s plenary, the Senate has approved the restoration of Ethiope West Constituency (1) from the present Ethiope West State Constituency in Ethiope West Local Government Area of Delta State.
This comes two months after the Upper Legislative Chamber approved the restoration of Abraka State Constituency in Ethiope East Local Government Area from the present Ethiope East State Constituency.
Omo-Agege, who represents Delta Central at the Senate had urged the senators to approve the restoration of the constituency in compliance with the declarations and orders of the Federal High Court and Section 115 of the 1999 Constitution.
He noted that agitations by concerned leaders, electorate and stakeholders in the constituency led to legal action at the Federal High Court, Warri with Suit No. FHC/WR/CS/21/2015.
According to him, in a judgement delivered by Hon. Justice M. Shitu Abubakar on 25th March, 2015, the Federal High Court, Warri upheld the arguments of the representatives of the electorate, stakeholders and people of Ethiope West State Constituency (1), granted their reliefs declaring that “the Delta State House Assembly as it currently stands is not properly constituted in line with the provisions of Sections 6, 36, 91 and 112 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to restore Ethiope West Constituency (1) as a state constituency with an elected member in the State House of Assembly”.
He lamented that six years after, the electoral umpire was yet to comply with the decision.
Among other submissions, the Deputy Senate President noted that the Federal High Court had “declared that INEC does not have the discretion or power whatsoever to suppress the existing Ethiope West State Constituency (1) with code SC/11/DT having been lawfully approved by the National Assembly, hence the suppression is illegal, unlawful, null and void;” and that it “equally directed INEC to immediately restore and conduct election to fill the seat for Ethiope West State Constituency 1 in the Delta State House of Assembly and the electoral area covered by this constituency shall be the present Jesse Ward I, Jesse Ward II, Jesse Ward III, Jesse Ward IV, Mosogar Ward I and Mosogar Ward II.”
In his contribution, Senator Sabi Abdullahi (APC, Niger State), said the motion was in order and urged his colleagues to approve same.
He also urged INEC to comply with the court order.
