Honourable Efe Afe, Member, Federal House of Representatives, representing Okpe, Sapele and Uvwie Federal Constituency has revealed how he convinced his colleagues to recognise and ‘reinstate’ Sapele Constituency as a separate district from the current configuration of Okpe, Sapele and Uvwie Federal Constituency.
The federal lawmaker said; “I led a debate on the motion, arguing that Sapele Local Government had two state constituencies, namely Sapele Rural and Sapele Urban Constituencies and one federal constituency, Sapele Federal Constituency, “prior to the reconfiguration, which is the basis of the general elections in 1998 and subsequent elections.”
“I expressed my concern at the floor of the House, that Sapele Local Government Area is the only local government council in Delta State that has suffered abridgment from two state constituencies to one state constituency.”
“And the scrapping of her federal constituency, while other local government councils of her status migrated from two to more constituencies.”
“I informed the House that INEC decided that Sapele Federal Constituency be reinstated via a memo after series of substantiated presentations from Sapele Local Government Council to INEC in 2004.”
“The decision for reinstatement was duly communicated to the National Assembly for further legislative action as prescribed by the Constitution.”
“In spite of the well-informed and constitutionally supported communication by INEC to the National Assembly for effective resolution in 2007, the National Assembly failed to act to reinstate the constituency and the two state constituencies.”
“It is on record that Sapele Rural State Constituency consists of Sapele Ward 1, Ward 9, Ward 10 and Ward 11, while Sapele Urban consists of Sapele Ward 2, Ward 3, Ward 4, Ward 5, Ward 6, Ward 7 and Ward 8 elected representatives.”
“I informed the House that the Court of Appeal sitting in Benin Judicial Division had made a pronouncement affirming an earlier ruling of the Federal High Court, Warri Judicial Division on the matter.”
“It is worrisome and regrettable that Nigeria had organised and conducted three general elections since INEC communicated its decision to the National Assembly for implementation, yet “effect has not been given to the legal and substantiated decision of INEC.”
We gathered that it was as a result of Afe’s argument that the motion was put to vote by the Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, and was unanimously adopted by the House.