Law Firm Petitions INEC Over “Constitutional Breach” in Kogi Assembly Composition »

A legal firm, Ayo Jonathan & Co., has petitioned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over what it describes as a fundamental constitutional breach in the current composition of the Kogi State House of Assembly.

The petition, dated November 20, 2025, was addressed to the INEC Chairman through the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Lokoja. The firm argues that the state legislature, which currently has 25 members, falls short of what is required under Section 91 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

Addressing newsmen after submitting the petting at the INEC office in Lokoja, A. O. Jonathan Esq said, Kogi State, with nine federal constituencies should have between 27 and 36 state constituencies. The firm maintains that the present structure fails to meet this constitutional threshold and amounts to a suppression of representation for several communities across the state.

The lawyers also point to the state’s first Assembly in 1992, which had 32 constituencies, many of which were later removed or collapsed. They list several constituencies they say were “suppressed” in Kogi East, Kogi Central, and Kogi West senatorial districts, including Adavi East, Adavi West, Ajaokuta North, Ajaokuta South, Eika, Ihima, Ijumu Gbede, Kabba/Bunu I and II, Koton-Karfe I and II, Yagba North-East, and others.

“This breach is not tolerable as an oversight,” the petition reads. “It strikes at the heart of our democratic existence as a state and must be resolved with the urgency it requires.”

The firm further faults INEC for failing to review state constituencies since Kogi’s creation, despite the commission’s constitutional mandate under Section 114 to conduct such reviews at intervals of not less than ten years.

Ayo Jonathan & Co. is asking INEC to immediately restore the suppressed constituencies so residents of those areas can participate fully in the next state assembly elections. Their proposal recommends increasing the number of constituencies from 25 to 36, giving each senatorial district 12 seats to achieve what they call equitable representation.

The petition argues that restoring the constituencies would reflect population growth, address geographic and socio-economic realities, and strengthen democratic participation.

The firm expressed confidence that INEC leadership would treat the matter urgently and uphold constitutional standards.