Acting Governor commends the ongoing Delineation exercise by INEC (1/8/08)

The Acting Governor of Cross River State, Hon Francis Adah has described the ongoing delineation exercise by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as an essential mechanism in overhauling the electoral process of the country.

While receiving the INEC Delineation Team for South-South geopolitical zone led by a Federal Commissioner of the Commission, Chief Ekpenyong Nsa, Wednesday, Adah explained that the exercise which ought to have been be done two years ago, 10 years after the last one, was over due because of its relevance to Nigeria’s electoral process as well as for economic purposes.

Adah said Nigerians are interested in the exercise because some constituencies are too large and the right of equitable representation is denied which makes them look up to INEC to create additional constituencies from the existing ones. According to him, the clamour is necessary because a census figure released by National Population Commission (NPC) shows an increase in population while the commission intends to hold interactive sessions in three senatorial districts per state.

He reasoned that this would afford stake holders the opportunity to make contributions and pledged government’s support to ensure the exercise is successful in the state, hoping the outcome of the exercise would stand the test of time.

The leader of INEC Delineation Team for South-South, Chief Ekpenyong Nsa disclosed that the review exercise which is in compliance with the 1999 Constitution and the Electoral Act is expected to be held every 10 years which was last carried out 12 years ago, and that a National Advisory Committee made up of six-sub committees was set up six months ago to undertake the review in the six geopolitical zones.

Nsa said the primary task is to look at certain areas of the electoral act bearing in mind some political dynamics, adding that in the interim, seven additional state constituencies have been created in Cross River.

The seven new constituencies according to him are carved from Akpabuyo, Calabar Municipality, Odukpani, and Biase in Southern senatorial districts, Abi in central and Ogoja and Obudu Local Government Areas in the northern senatorial district, emphasizing that the exercise is based on settlement distribution, equity, ethnic and cultural affinity.

He disclosed that the team is expected to tour the three Senatorial Districts in the State and feel the pulse of the people through an interactive session, adding that it is expected that at the end of the exercise, they are expected to make some contributions.

The Federal Electoral Commissioner said INEC has been liaising with State Electoral Commissions with the view of increasing the number of wards across the country and it intends to make recommendations to the National Assembly concerning increase in the number of seats.

The INEC Resident Commissioner for Cross River, Dr (Mrs.) Rose Obuoforibo, who was part of the visit, in her introductory remarks, said INEC has undertaken a nation wide activity on delineation of electoral constituencies and in the course of the assignment had met several stake holders and while in Cross River it will hold interactive sessions in Calabar, Ikom and Ogoja.

Government House Press