Senate okays restoration of Abraka constituency in Delta

Senate has approved the immediate restoration of Abraka State Constituency in Ethiope East Local Government Area from the present Ethiope East State Constituency, in line with the decision, declarations and orders of the Federal High Court to separate the two constituencies.

It explained that the Abraka State Constituency consists of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC’s present Abraka Wards 1, 2, 3 while the remaining part of the present Ethiope East State Constituency consists of INEC’s Ward 4 (Okpara Inland), Ward 5 (Ovu), Ward 6 (Kokori Inland), Ward 7 (Orhuoakpor), Ward 8 (Okpara Waterside), Ward 9 (Eku), Ward 10 (Egba/Samagidi) and Ward 11 (Isiokoro).

The resolution followed the consideration of a motion to that effect sponsored by the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, who urged the upper legislative chamber to approve the restoration of the Abraka State Constituency in compliance with the declarations and orders of the court and Section 115 of the Constitution.

The Senate, which directed the INEC to comply with the resolution ahead of the next general elections and election of members of the next Delta State House of Assembly, also sought the concurrence of the House of Representatives to its resolution.

Presenting the motion, Omo-Agege recalled that “prior to 1999, Abraka State Constituency was a separate and distinct state constituency with an elected member into the Delta State House of Assembly.”

He also informed that as at 1992/93, the constituency was “duly represented” in the state Assembly by Hon. Emmanuel Akpor Ifeta, but was “arbitrarily and unjustifiably suppressed and collapsed into the present Ethiope East State Constituency during the 1999 general elections and it has remained so since then.”

Omo-Agege, who represents Delta Central Senatorial District, said the persistent agitations by concerned leaders, electorate and stakeholders of the constituency led to legal contestations in the Federal High Court, Warri on March 15, 2015 where INEC was directed to restore the suppressed constituency as a distinct one.

He, however, lamented that the electoral umpire “is yet to comply with the unambiguous decision, declarations and consequential orders of the court”, saying this has been a source of concern to the leaders and other stakeholders in the constituency.

In his contribution, Senator Smart Adeyemi (APC Kogi West), described the unjustifiable suppression of the constituency as a breach of the rights of the Abraka people and urged the INEC to comply with court order on the matter, saying “where there is a fault, there must be a remedy.”