The people of Yagba West Local Government Area in Kogi State have called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to urgently restore and conduct elections in Yagba West I and Yagba West II State Constituencies, following a Federal High Court judgment ordering the revival of suppressed constituencies across the state.
The appeal was made by community leader, Prince Friday Ogungbemi, during a press conference in Lokoja.
Ogungbemi lamented that residents of Yagba West I and II have been deprived of adequate representation in the Kogi State House of Assembly since Nigeria’s return to democratic governance in 1999, despite the constituencies having been created in 1991.
He referenced the judgement delivered by Justice Isah Danshan in Suit No. FHC/LKJ/CS/01/2026, which declared the suppression of several constituencies in Kogi State unconstitutional and directed INEC to restore them and conduct elections in line with Section 91 of the 1999 Constitution.
According to him, the court specifically ordered that elections be conducted in the affected constituencies beginning from the 2027 general elections, stressing that the electoral body must comply with constitutional provisions governing the composition of state legislatures.
The judgment affected constituencies across Kogi’s three senatorial districts, including Adavi West/East, Ajaokuta South/North, Okehi Eika/Ihima, Ijumu I Gbede, Ijumu-Arin II, Kabba/Bunu I and II, Koton Karfe I and II, Bassa Nge/Igbirra, and Bassa Komu.
If fully implemented, the ruling is expected to increase the number of constituencies in the Kogi State House of Assembly from 25 to 36 ahead of the 2027 elections.
Ogungbemi further cited INEC’s 10 June 2026 press release on the conduct of party primaries in restored constituencies in Benue, Delta, Jigawa, and Kogi states, as well as an earlier approval letter authorising technical processes for the restoration of court-recognised constituencies.
However, he expressed concern that Yagba West I and Yagba West II were omitted from the ongoing restoration process.
“The people of Yagba West have endured years of political marginalisation and denial of fair representation in the State House of Assembly,” he said.
He urged INEC to immediately include the two constituencies in the restoration exercise, describing it as a matter of justice, equity, and constitutional compliance.
“As mandated by the court, INEC should, without delay, incorporate Yagba West I and Yagba West II into the ongoing restoration process to correct the longstanding injustice against our people,” Ogungbemi stated.
The Federal High Court also restrained any future suppression of constituencies existing since the creation of Kogi State and directed INEC to consider requests for additional constituencies where practicable and financially feasible.
As at the time of filing this report, INEC’s Kogi State office had not issued an official response to the demand.
