Concern citizens in Kogi State have called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to as a matter of urgency restore the 1991/1992 structure of the State House of Assembly before the 2027 general elections in the spirit of equal representation.
Barrister Zacchaeus Dare Michael who led a team of lawyers to INEC Kogi state office on Thursday to deliver a letter of protest in respect of alleged suppressed constituencies, stated that laws are drafted in the spirit of fairness , equity and justice, stressing that the fairness, and equity have been murdered since the creation of the Kogi state in 1991.
“I am here as an interested party in the presentation of protest letter to INEC as a member of the local government that was suppressed.
“The 1999 constitution stipulated that a federal constituency suppose to have three or four members in the state house of assembly.
“For instance , Ankpa federal constituency has three local government areas and had four members in the state house of assembly.
“In Dekina federal constituency they have Bassa, Dekina one and two with three state house of assembly members
“Central senatorial district has five LGAs and has three federal constituencies with six representative in the state house of assembly. The senatorial district was suppressed by having only six members in the assembly.
“Kogi West with seven LGAs with three federal constituency, has only eight house of assembly members . In the past Kabba has one and two, Ijumu has one and two , Lokoja and Kogi LGA each has one and two, but today all of these has been jettisoned” he said.
He therefore called on INEC in solidarity with the people and in the spirit of Nigeria constitution the commission should restored the constitutional provision of members of assembly in Kogi state that is not on ground any more across the three senatorial of the state.
Michael who is the current Chairman of Kabba-Bunu local government council also appealed to Kogi state governor Ahmed Usman Ododo to listen to the cry of those suppressed in the state, to enable them have their representatives at the state house of assembly.
Also in his remark, Barrister Ayo Kunle Jonathan a legal practioner based in Lokoja , Kogi State, explained that the 1999 constitution mandated the INEC to create some constituencies particularly as it concern section 91 of the constitution which mandate that the house of assembly of a state should have three or four constituents as number of the state assembly.
According to him, it was observed that after the creation of Kogi State in 1991 some constituencies are suppressed and with this development there is no equal representation.
“So we have written to INEC through the Kogi state INEC office mandating the commission to comply with this constitutional provisions before the 2027 elections to enable equal representation.
“Looking at the Kogi State House of Assembly today it has only 25 members as against the stipulated number under section 91 and section 114 of the Nigeria constitution” he stated.
