CONSTITUENCY DELIMITATION: THE ROLE OF INDEPENDENT NATIONAL ELECTORAL COMMISSION IN NIGERIA

The importance of constituency delimitation, an important role for Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is the focus of this article. This subject is a matter of contestation among various stakeholders in Nigeria. It is one of the international parameters for a credible election. Using doctrinal approach, this article interrogates how the Constitution of Nigeria, 1999 set the required parameters for a just and equitable delimitation of constituencies. The author found that focus is usually on the election while the issue of constituency delimitation that validates election is neglected. Further, by the provision of the Constitution, constituency delimitation ought to be at done at an interval of not less than ten years or upon a census being conducted. However, the last delimitation in Nigeria was in 1996 despite the 2006 census because it appears that INEC is overwhelmed resulting in inequality in the size of the constituencies. This article accordingly recommends that the responsibility be taken from INEC because it is not free from political manipulation and given to the Boundary Commission and the need to put in place a legal framework for the conduct of constituency delimitation in Nigeria.