Lokoja Federal High Court orders INEC to restore, conduct elections in Kogi’s suppressed constituencies
A Federal High Court, sitting in Lokoja, has directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to restore and conduct elections in suppressed constituencies in Kogi State. Justice Isah A. Danshan
A Federal High Court, sitting in Lokoja, has directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to restore and conduct elections in suppressed constituencies in Kogi State.
Justice Isah A. Danshan of the Federal High Court, Lokoja, declared in his judgment, yesterday, that it was mandatory for elections to be conducted in those suppressed constituencies.
He lamented the injustice over the years, particularly that available facts point to the existence of those constituencies at the creation of the State, thereby directing their restoration.
He directed that, having been proven beyond reasonable doubt; the Independent National Electoral Commission must, without hesitation, conduct elections in the suppressed constituencies in 2027.
In his reaction, Barr. Zacchaeus Dare Michael, Executive Chairman, Kabba Bunu LGA, who dragged the INEC and the Kogi State Government to court, said the cries of the people of the suppressed constituencies have been heard.
He called on the INEC to, without further delay, begin the process to conduct elections to the deserving constituencies, insisting that the injustice over the years had been corrected.
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He lauded the judiciary for standing by the people of the suppressed constituencies, maintaining that the judgement was worthy of commendation.
Barr. Ayo Kunle Jonathan, the lead legal practitioner to the petitioner, also, in his reaction, expressed satisfaction with the judgement.
He urged the INEC to obey the judgement by conducting elections in the suppressed constituencies in the State.
The Nation recalls that some Kogi residents and lawyers, last December, submitted a petition to the INEC headquarters on deficiencies at the state House of Assembly .
The petitioners maintained that there were suppressed Constituencies in Kogi State.
The petitioners demanded urgent restoration of the suppressed Constituencies that they claimed had existed at the State House of Assembly since 1991.
The petition was submitted on behalf of the group by Barr. Zacchaeus Dare , Chairman of Kabba Bunu LGA, one of the affected Local Government Areas, alongside Barr. Ayo Kunle , on behalf of the team of legal practitioners.
The petitioners appealed to INEC to correct the marginalisation.
Barr. Dare said, "Laws are meant to be fair and just. He lamented that some constituencies have been suppressed for too long for no just cause.”
He appealed to the Commission to address the issues of suppressed constituencies in the State before the 2027 House of Assembly Elections.
