INEC to reserve 60 fed constituencies for women - Iwu

Clement Oko Nnachi, Abakaliki - 06.07.2008

Poised to redress the perceived underrepresentation of women in the nation’s political structure, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has concluded arrangements, to propose to the National Assembly, an increase in the number of federal constituencies to 420, with 60 seats reserved exclusively for women.

The Chairman of the commission, Prof. Maurice Iwu, disclosed this in Abakaliki the Ebonyi State Capital, while flagging off the delineation of wards/constituencies, for the South-East zone of the country.

The INEC boss, said that the commission, has outlined indices for the delineation, notably population, terrain, topography, historical cultural activities, physical features, existing administrative and traditional boundaries and equity settlement pattern, stressing that the constitution empowers the commission to embark on periodic review of the electoral map of Nigeria.

According to Iwu, the commission, had earlier inaugurated the National Advisory Committee on Delineation of Constituencies. Earlier in his address the Acting Governor of Ebonyi State, Prof Chigozie Ogbu, urged the commission to assist the state to redress its neglect in the past, noting that the state, which had 11 constituencies prior to the state creation in 1996, was reduced to six constituencies, pointing out that the present number of constituencies/wards were inadequate, due to the state’s population growth and expansion.

Prof. Ogbu further appealed to INEC to restore back to the state, the five federal constituencies taken away and requested for nine additional state constituencies.