Kogi: Lawyers Petition INEC Over Suppressed Constituencies, Demand Urgent Restoration

Barr. Ayo Kunle Jonathan, leading a team of legal practitioners on Thursday petitioned Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to address the issue of suppressed constituencies in Kogi State.

He cited the Constitution, specifically Sections 91, 113, and 114, which mandate that states must have between three and four times their number of federal constituencies represented in their State Houses of Assembly.

Kogi State, with nine federal constituencies, should have between 27 and 36 state constituencies according to the Constitution.

However, after INEC’s delimitation exercise in 1998, 12 constituencies were suppressed, reducing the number from 32 to 25, falling short of the constitutional requirement and causing unequal representation.

Jonathan pointed out specific suppressed areas such as Kabba-Bunu II, Ijumu II, Yagba West II, and several others, highlighting the resulting democratic imbalance and lack of adequate representation for affected areas.

The suppression has been described as a constitutional breach denying thousands of citizens political representation for decades.

This issue has been raised in the Kogi State House of Assembly and also gained momentum following a March 2025 resolution by the House of Representatives urging INEC to restore these suppressed constituencies.

The petition calls on INEC to act promptly, supported by court judgments and legal opinions emphasizing the constitutional obligations for equitable representation.

Barr. Zacchaeus Dare Michael, Chairman of Kabba Bunu LGA, one of the affected Local Government, supported Jonathan’s petition on behalf of the citizens of the State, stating that laws are meant to be fair and just, lamented the suppression of some State Constituencies after the creation of the State.

He cited examples of federal constituencies with inadequate representation and called for the restoration of suppressed seats.

The petitioners urged INEC and Governor Usman Ahmed Ododo to address the issue before the next election, warning that the current composition of the state assembly is defective and lacks a legal quorum.

According to Barr. Zacchaeus Dare Michael, “As an interested Party who’s Local Government is suppressed, I’m join in submitting a letter to the INEC.

“laws are drafted in the spirit of equity, justice and fairness. Section 91 of the nation constitution stipulates that a federal Constituency should have 3 or 4 State Constituencies with members in the State Assembly.

” In Idah Federal Constituency, they have four local Government. The four LGAs are represented with a member each in the State Assembly.

” In Ankpa they have 3 LGAs, they have met the constitutional provision of the State lawmakers. In Dekina Bassa Federal Constituency, they require one more Lawmaker to fulfill the provision. In Kogi Central with five LGAs, they have six Assembly Lawmakers with six other seats suppressed.

In Kogi West we have 7 LGAs with 8 members with four suppressed seats. In 1991, this suppressed Constituencies had their members. Kabba has one and two. Ijumu has One and two, Koto has one and two.

By the spirit of the Constitution, we demand the restoration of the suppressed seats, because creation of new constitution would require amending the constitution.

We are therefore asking for the restoration of what was in existence”, urge INEC to before the next election, return the Constituency that existed at State creation that has now been suppressed.

“The implications of what obtains now in the Kogi State House of Assembly is that the House is wrongly constituted. They are not forming the legal quorum. If the law says 3, the members will be 27 and if four, it will be 36. Thus far, the quorum in the assembly is defective in the eyes of law.

We are urging INEC to restore the suppressed Constituencies. We are urging Gov. Usman Ahmed Ododo to listen to the cry of those suppressed voices to enable us have our representative in the spirit of the Law.

The law didn’t look at population, it is more concerned about equality, fairness and Justice”, Barr. Dare said.