House of Representatives Directs INEC to Restore Suppressed Benue State Constituencies for 2027 Polls

The House of Representatives mandates INEC to restore suppressed constituencies in Benue State and prepare for new state assembly elections in 2027.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 28, 2026, 11:09 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Daily Post Nigeria

Parliamentary Intervention to Correct Electoral Delimitation

The Nigerian House of Representatives has formally called upon the Independent National Electoral Commission to restore previously suppressed state constituencies within Benue State. This legislative action was prompted by a motion led by Philip Agbese, the representative for the Ado, Okpokwu, and Ogbadibo Federal Constituency. The resolution aims to address what lawmakers describe as an urgent need to rectify historical imbalances in the Benue State House of Assembly, ensuring that local administrative areas receive their full constitutional representation.

Historical Precedence and the Impact of Suppression

During the debate, Agbese highlighted that each of the three Local Government Areas in his constituency originally possessed two distinct state constituencies. Prior to specific delimitation exercises conducted earlier in the Fourth Republic, these areas were represented by six separate seats. However, subsequent actions by the electoral commission reduced this to just three constituencies. Agbese argued that forcing large populations and vast territories to be represented by a single member has led to gross under-representation and an inadequate legislative voice for Idoma speaking communities.

Legislative Mandate for 2027 General Elections

The House has set a clear timeline for the electoral commission to implement these changes. In a decision seconded by Kelechi Nwogu of Rivers State, the parliament mandated that elections into the restored constituencies of Ado II, Okpokwu II, and Otukpa must be held in 2027. This directive is intended to align the electoral map with demographic realities and correct perceived injustices that have persisted for several years. The move follows similar successful efforts to restore other constituencies in Benue State, including Ukum II and Gboko.