A Federal High Court, sitting in Lokoja, has directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to restore and conduct elections in eleven suppressed constituencies in Kogi State.
Delivering his judgement on Friday, Justice Isah A. Danshan of the Federal High Court, Lokoja, declared mandatory for elections to be conducted in those suppressed constituencies.
Justice Danshan, who declared the restoration mandatory, noted that the constituencies existed at state creation and have been unjustly denied representation for decades.
In his reaction, Barr. Ayo Kunle Jonathan, the lead counsel to the petitioner, expressed satisfaction with the judgement urging INEC to obey the judgement by conducting elections into the suppressed constituencies in the state.
Also speaking, the Executive Chairman, Kabba Bunu LGA, Barr. Zacchaeus Dare Michael, who dragged INEC and the Kogi state government to court, said the cry of people of the suppressed constituencies have been heard.
The Council boss 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.
He praised the Judiciary for standing by the people of the suppressed constituencies, lauded the judgment as worthy of Commendation.
The suppressed constituencies are 11, including one in Kogi East, six in Kogi Central, and four in Kogi West.
With the judgement, the Independent National Electoral Commission is expected to conduct elections in 36 Constituencies in 2027.
