ABUJA/Nigeria: An attempt by former Plateau State Governor and Chairman, Senate Committee on Electoral Matters, Senator Simon Lalong, to halt the ongoing delineation of the Warri Federal Constituency by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), was on Wednesday firmly countered by Delta lawmakers, Senators Joel-Onowakpo Thomas (Delta South) and Ede Dafinone (Delta Central), on the floor of the Senate.
The two senators opposed the motion, insisting that INEC’s constitutional mandate and independence must not be violated, especially as the matter is already before a competent court.
Raising a strong objection, Senator Joel-Onowakpo reminded the chamber that the 1999 Constitution unambiguously empowers INEC to conduct constituency delineation without legislative interference. “Mr. President, distinguished colleagues, this motion touches directly on my constituency, Delta South Senatorial District, and I am very familiar with the issues. However, I wish to refer this chamber to Section 153 of the 1999 Constitution which empowers INEC to conduct delineation exercises,” he stated.
He further cited Section 158 and Part I of the Third Schedule of the Constitution, stressing that INEC’s autonomy must be respected. “Ordinarily, a matter like this is not one for the National Assembly. The independence of INEC precludes us from interfering in its operations. If anyone is dissatisfied, the proper venue is the court,” he added.
Joel-Onowakpo also revealed that the matter was already before the Federal High Court in Warri, in Suit No. FHC/WR/CS/372/25, where some individuals had sued INEC over the delineation process. He urged the chamber to allow the judicial process to run its course.
Supporting his colleague, Senator Ede Dafinone (Delta Central) warned that interfering in INEC’s delineation exercise could erode public confidence in both the electoral body and the Senate. “The delineation of constituencies by INEC is a constitutional responsibility meant to promote equity and social balance. Any form of legislative investigation into such a matter, especially one that may appear partisan or localized, risks undermining INEC’s neutrality and the Senate’s integrity,” he said.
Dafinone noted that the matter had dragged on for over 12 years, with multiple court rulings affirming INEC’s authority to proceed. “The courts have ruled that INEC should go ahead. Every attempt to stop the release of the delineation report has failed. Even a subsequent case at the Abuja High Court was thrown out. We must not encourage a cycle of endless obstruction,” he added.
Following the contributions of the two Delta senators, several lawmakers cautioned against breaching constitutional boundaries or appearing to overreach into judicial and electoral matters.
In his ruling, Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau acknowledged the sensitivity of the issue and urged caution, directing that any further consideration must take into account the constitutional and judicial issues already raised.
The debate, which drew intense contributions from across the chamber, effectively stalled efforts to mandate the Senate Committee on Electoral Matters to investigate or suspend INEC’s delineation process in Warri.
With the interventions of Senators Joel-Onowakpo and Dafinone, the Senate deferred action on the motion, reaffirming INEC’s independence and underscoring the primacy of the rule of law in the ongoing electoral boundary adjustment in Delta State.
