The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has been urged to urgently address the issue of suppressed constituencies across Kogi State.
Barr. Ayo Kunle Jonathan, made the demand on Thursday in Lokoja shortly after leading a team of lawyers to submit a petition to INEC office in respect of the issue of suppressed constituencies.
Jonathan who spoke to journalists at the premises of INEC Office, in Lokoja, Kogi State, said the Constitution empowers INEC to create constituencies.
He cited Section 91, to back his submission, saying that the section requires the House of Assembly of a state to have three or four State constituencies in a Federal Constituency.
Jonathan said some constituencies were suppressed after the state was created in 1991, resulting in unequal representation in the current Kogi State House of Assembly.
The Assembly, he said currently has 25 members, short of the required number stipulated in Sections 91 and 114 of the Constitution.
The Lawyer highlighted that Ajaokuta Federal Constituency has only one Assembly Member, while Kabba-Bunu and Ijumu Local Governments which used to have to seats now have one each.
He said the same situation exists in Yagba Federal Constituency and other areas with suppressed Constituencies.
Also speaking on the issue, Barr. Zacchaeus Dare Michael, Chairman, Kabba-Bunu Local Government, expressed his support for the petition Jonathan’s petition on behalf of the citizens of the State.
Dare whose local government is one the areas affected by the issue of suppressed constituencies stated that laws are meant to be fair and just, lamenting the suppression of some state Constituencies after the creation of the state.
He cited some federal constituencies that are suffering from inadequate representation as a result of the constituency suppression, calling for the restoration of the suppressed seats.
The petitioners urged INEC and Governor Usman Ahmed Ododo to address the issue before the 2027 elections.
They warned that the current composition of the state assembly is defective and lacks a legal quorum.
“As an interested arty whose local government is suppressed, I’m joining in submitting a petition 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.
“We urge INEC to before the next election, return the Constituencies that existed at state creation that have 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.
(vitalnewsngr.com)
