Nasarawa State Deserves More Federal Constituencies – Former Speaker

BABA AHMED, LAFIA – A former speaker of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly, Dr. Musa Ahmed Muhammed has said that the state deserves additional five House of Representative seats to meet the yearnings and aspirations of the electorates.
Speaking in an interview in Lafia, Muhammed said the population in the state has swelled up that the electorates needed more representatives at both the federal and state level for effective representation and dividends of democracy.

He therefore urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to exercise its powers as enshrine in the constitution and create more constituencies, wards and polling units in the state.

Muhammed said that delineation of more constituencies in the state will reduce the pressure on the polity, create confidence in democracy and bring about more political representation.
He further said; “Non-delineation of constituencies as enshrine in the constitution will deprive millions of Nigerians dividends of democracy”.
The former Speaker explained that many Nigerians have been marginalised by the act, adding that as the population increases, it comes with demands for more constituencies in many areas across the country for effective representation.

Muhammed explained that the delineation will reduce rigging in densely populated polling units and bring about more dividends of democracy if more federal constituencies, House of Assembly seats, wards and polling units are created.

According to him; “For instance, our population in Nasarawa state is rapidly increasing daily especially with our proximity to the federal capital just like other states.
“Nasarawa State deserves five additional House of Representatives seats, two more in Nasarawa west, one in Nasarawa North and two in Nasarawa South Senatorial district respectively.”
“Also in Wamba and Keana Local Government Areas, we need additional House of Assembly seats because presently they have only one eachGwhile other Local governments in the state have two each”.

Muhammed, who is the Peoples Democratic Party candidate for Nasarawa–Toto federal constituency, said if elected, promise to work audaciously to ensure that additional constituencies are created and more projects are sited in his constituencies, the state and the country at large.