The Court of Appeal, Makurdi Judicial Division, has ordered the restoration of four more state constituencies in Benue State, bringing the total number of constituencies in the state to 24.
The Benue State Assembly currently comprises 33 members representing the 33 state constituencies of Benue State, covering 11 federal constituencies and three senatorial districts. The Friday judgment brings the number of state constituencies to 37.
By the provisions of Sections 91 and 113 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) shall divide every state in the Federation into such number of constituencies as is equal to three or four times the number of Federal Constituencies within the state. This means the Benue State Assembly should have between 33 and 44 members.
Terna Yaji, Esq., who filed the appeals for the restoration of the constituencies, thanked the Appellate Court for the “well-considered judgment.”
The restored constituencies are Gboko III (Gboko Central), Ukum II (Afia), Ukonshisha (Shangev-Tiev, and Makurdi III (South-East).
Under the Constitution, seven more constituencies are to be restored in the state.
