In 2020, while serving as the Minority Leader of the 9th House of Representatives and member representing Aniocha/Oshimili Federal Constituency, Rt. Hon. Ndudi Elumelu took a decisive step in the struggle to restore Aniocha South Constituency I, a constituency whose residents had been denied representation in the Delta State House of Assembly for years.
The move culminated in a landmark resolution by the House of Representatives mandating the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to urgently conduct a bye-election in line with the judgment of the Supreme Court, thereby paving the way for the restoration of the constituency and the protection of the democratic rights of its people.
At plenary on December 15, 2020, Elumelu raised a Motion on a Matter of Urgent National Importance, drawing the attention of the House to what he described as the continued suppression of Aniocha South Constituency I and the refusal of INEC to restore the constituency despite legal precedents and constitutional provisions.
The motion, which was seconded by the then Deputy Leader of the House, Hon. Toby Okechukwu, sought the intervention of the National Assembly to ensure that the people of the constituency were no longer deprived of representation at the state legislative level.
While presenting the motion, Elumelu explained that Aniocha South Constituency I, comprising Otulu, Olodo, Olloh, Isah Ogwashi, Azagba Ogwashi, Edo Ogwashi, Aboh Ogwashi and Ogwashi-Uku, was duly created in 1991 by the defunct National Electoral Commission and had representation in the Delta State House of Assembly between January 1992 and November 1993.
He noted, however, that the constituency was arbitrarily collapsed into the present Aniocha South State Constituency during the 1999 elections, while Aniocha South Constituency II continued to enjoy representation in the State Assembly.
According to Elumelu, the situation left the people of Constituency I without a voice in the legislative affairs of Delta State, contrary to the provisions of the Constitution and the principles of representative democracy.
He argued that INEC’s continued failure to restore the constituency amounted to a gross violation of the constitutional rights of the people and a disregard for judicial authority.
The federal lawmaker further reminded the House that the Supreme Court had already delivered judgments on similar constituency matters, including the case involving Aniocha North Constituency II, making the continued non-restoration of Aniocha South Constituency I both unjustifiable and unconstitutional.
Expressing concern over the implications of INEC’s actions, Elumelu warned that the refusal of an electoral body to obey decisions of the nation’s apex court could undermine public confidence in democratic institutions and the rule of law.
He stressed that the issue was not merely political but a fundamental matter of justice, equity and constitutional representation for the affected communities.
Following extensive deliberations, the House of Representatives unanimously adopted the motion and mandated INEC to urgently conduct the required election to ensure that the people of Aniocha South Constituency I regained their rightful representation in the Delta State House of Assembly.
The House also directed its Committee on Electoral Matters to monitor and ensure compliance with the resolution.
The intervention remains one of the notable legislative efforts by Rt. Hon. Ndudi Elumelu in defence of democratic representation and constitutional rights, demonstrating his commitment to ensuring that the people of Aniocha/Oshimili Federal Constituency and Delta State at large received fair and equitable treatment under the law.
Today, the 2020 motion stands as a significant chapter in the history of the struggle for the restoration of Aniocha South Constituency I, highlighting Elumelu’s role in advancing the cause within the National Assembly and securing legislative backing for the implementation of the Supreme Court’s position on the matter.
