The lawmaker representing Bonny/Degema Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Rep. Cyril Hart, has officially called for the creation of Bonny State Constituency II and Degema State Constituency II in Rivers State, citing constitutional non-compliance in the current structure of the state House of Assembly.

In a public statement shared via his verified facebook handle, Rep. Hart disclosed that he has triggered the relevant constitutional provisions to back his demand during the ongoing constitutional amendment process at the National Assembly.

According to him, the current 32-member structure of the Rivers State House of Assembly falls short of the constitutional requirement outlined in Sections 91 and 112 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which stipulates that a state assembly shall consist of three or four times the number of seats a state holds in the Federal House of Representatives, with a maximum limit of 40 members.

“Rivers State has 13 seats in the House of Representatives. By constitutional calculation, the State House of Assembly should have 39 members, not 32 as currently structured. We are short by seven constituencies,” Hart said.

He further invoked Section 114, which mandates the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to periodically review state constituencies at intervals not less than ten years. INEC’s last delineation for Rivers State, he noted, was conducted over two decades ago.

“As you can see, the House of Assembly of Rivers State is deficient of seven seats and not in compliance with the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution,” Hart noted.

To this effect, Hart said he has submitted formal requests both to INEC and the Constitutional Review Committee of the House of Representatives. A letter dated 7th July 2025, addressed to the INEC Chairman, specifically requests the creation of Bonny State Constituency II. A similar proposal for Degema State Constituency II was also submitted.

In the letter, Hart emphasised Bonny’s socio-economic importance, citing its population growth and its strategic significance to Nigeria’s economy, especially in the oil and gas sector. He emphasized that a single state constituency no longer adequately represents the people of Bonny LGA.

\"Bonny LGA is home to critical national assets such as the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) project. The creation of Bonny State Constituency II is essential to enhance democratic representation and meet the socio-political needs of its people,” the letter stated.

Acknowledging the challenges historically associated with the creation of states and constituencies, Hart stated that his actions are a proactive step to position his constituency advantageously should new delineations be approved.

“I’m not unaware of the bottlenecks associated with the creation of states and constituencies. However, I decided to be proactive—just in case they decide to create one,” he explained.

The lawmaker also assured constituents of his commitment to inclusive representation and thanked them for their continued support, urging them to remain optimistic and engaged as the process unfolds.