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Delta community protests exclusion from restored electoral seats after decade-long legal battle
🇳🇬 Nigeria /Culture & Society

Delta community protests exclusion from restored electoral seats after decade-long legal battle

From Vanguard · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) restored 22 state constituencies, including six for Delta State, on June 10.
  • Constituents in Ughelli South Local Government Area are protesting the exclusion of their restored seat, Ughelli South II, despite a decade-old court victory.
  • The area previously had two state assembly seats before a 1999 "delimitation exercise" merged them, reducing representation for over 150,000 residents.

While the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced the restoration of 22 suppressed state constituencies, including six for Delta State, residents of Ughelli South Local Government Area are left questioning the electoral body's actions. The commission stated, "Democracy is expanding," but for Ughelli South, the expansion has bypassed them, leaving constituents with a "bitter question": why has INEC ignored a 2015 Court of Appeal judgment for 11 years when it can obey 2026 court orders in days?

Ughelli South II was conspicuously absent from the list of restored seats, despite the locality winning a legal battle on the same grounds that led to the reinstatement of other constituencies. This exclusion is seen as a deep wound and a significant injustice, especially considering the area's history. Before 1996, Ughelli South LGA, like Isoko North, had two representatives in the Delta State House of Assembly, ensuring closer community engagement and project allocation.

Democracy is expanding.

— INECThe Independent National Electoral Commission's statement upon announcing the restoration of suppressed state constituencies.

Historical records show that both the First Republic and the Second Republic (1979–1983) maintained the dual-constituency structure for Ughelli South. Even during the Third Republic (1991–1993), following the creation of Delta State, the LGA retained its two seats. However, with the activation of the Fourth Republic on May 29, 1999, INEC froze Ughelli South Constituency I. This effectively reduced the LGA's representation to a single seat for over 150,000 people, a situation described as a "vexed suppression" and a merger that was "never legal."

The suppression has had a brutal effect, leaving the LGA, which is home to oil-bearing towns and numerous communities, with one representative for 15 years. The current exclusion of Ughelli South II from the restored seats, despite a clear legal victory, fuels frustration and demands for accountability from INEC.

If INEC can obey 2026 court orders in days, why has it ignored a 2015 Court of Appeal judgment bearing our name for 11 years?

— ConstituentsThe question posed by constituents in Ughelli South LGA regarding the exclusion of their restored seat.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Vanguard in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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