A Federal High Court, sitting in Lokoja has directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to restore and conduct elections in the suppressed constituencies in Kogi State.
Justice Isah Danshan declared that elections must be conducted in those suppressed constituencies.
He lamented the injustice over the years, particularly that available fact point to the existence of those constituencies at the creation of the state.
”Having been proven beyond reasonable fact, the Independent National Electoral Commission must, without hesitation, conduct elections in the suppressed constituencies in 2027,” Justice Danshan said.
In his reaction, Barr. Ayo Kunle Jonathan, the lead legal practitioner to the petitioner, expressed satisfaction with the judgement and urged INEC to obey the judgement by conducting elections in the suppressed constituencies.
Executive Chairman of Kabba Bunu Local Government Area, LGA, who filed the suit against INEC and the Kogi State Government, said the cry of the people of the suppressed constituencies has been heard.
He called on INEC to, without further delay, begin the process to conduct elections in the deserving constituencies, insisting that the injustice over the years has been corrected.
With the judgement, the electoral umpire is expected to conduct elections in 36 constituencies in 2027 rather than the 25 lawmakers’ positions in previous elections.
