Redress imbalance in state constituencies, Oyo Assembly tells INEC

The Oyo State House of Assembly, on Tuesday, urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to redress the “imbalance” in constituencies’ distribution in the state.

In what it described as a far cry from the provisions of section 112 of the 1999 constitution (as amended), the Assembly argued that the state ought to have a minimum of 42 state constituencies rather than the present 32 constituencies.

The Assembly premised its call on the fact that the state was divided into 32 state constituencies based on the 1991 population figure while there had been over 60 per cent increase in population going by the 2006 census figure.

The Assembly’s prayer was drawn from a motion sponsored by seven lawmakers, titled, “Call on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for Upward Review of State Constituencies in Oyo State in Compliance with Constitutional Provisions”, at Tuesday’s plenary.

Reading the motion on behalf of six others, Honorable Kazeem Isiaka of Oyo East/Oyo West constituency, argued that the population increase was enough justification for the call for an upward review in the number of state constituencies.

He added that the need for upward review in state constituencies was also epitomised by the fact that some of the lawmakers in the state Assembly represented two local government areas.

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Specifically, the Assembly said the upward review should be such that the joint local government areas will be separated to become individual state constituencies.

Joint constituencies, which the Assembly called for a split, are Oyo East/Oyo West, Atisbo/Saki East, Irepo/Olorunsogo, Iseyin/Itesiwaju, Surulere/Ogo-Oluwa, Ibarapa Central/Ibarapa North.

The Honourable Adebo Ogundoyin-led Assembly, consequently, resolved to urge the executive arm of government to forward a memo to INEC for the upward review.

This is as the lawmakers also urged National Assembly members from the state to take steps toward the review, which they noted was pursuant to the provisions of sections 91, 112, 113 114 and 115 of the 1999 constitution (as amended).

In another motion by Honourable Francis Adetunji of Oluyole constituency, the Assembly called on the Federal Ministry of Works to erect overhead pedestrian bridges and overhead lights along Lagos/Ibadan Expressway to ensure the safety of residents.

Also, the Assembly beckoned on National Assembly members representing Oluyole federal constituency to consider erecting solar-powered overhead lights at Soka, Academy, Muslim, Olorunsogo, and Oremeji junctions along Lagos-Ibadan Express road.