Senate asks INEC to restore Aniocha north II constituency in Delta years after delineation

The senate has asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to restore the Aniocha north II state constituency in Delta state in compliance with the supreme court’s judgment in suit no. SC/129/2019.

The upper legislative arm also directed the electoral commission to conduct an election into the Aniocha north II state constituency in the next state house of assembly poll in Delta state.

The senate’s approval followed a motion sponsored by Ned Nwoko, the senator representing Delta north.

Speaking with journalists after the senate’s plenary on Tuesday, Nwoko said the constituency, comprising towns such as Idumuje-Unor, Idumuje-Ugboko, and others in Aniocha north LGA, was initially created in 1991 but was later delineated.

He said residents initiated legal action in 2014 to restore the constituency but was dismissed by the federal high court.

The senator noted that the suit was upheld in 2017 by the court of appeal and affirmed by the supreme court.

“I am glad that we have managed to pull it through because it was not as straightforward as people might think,” Nwoko said.

“But the fact remains that this was a supreme court judgment and we all respect supreme court judgments.

“On this particular matter, it has taken several stages from the court of appeal and then supreme court.

“INEC also wrote to us seeking our consent to implement the supreme court judgment. I don’t know why INEC should seek our consent, but that is exactly what happened.

“They sought our consent at the senate and house of reps to implement the supreme court judgement.

“I am happy that we got it right. There are so many of such matters across the country and I am sure they will take cue from this particular matter today.”