The Coalition of Kogi East Youths Associations has staged a protest at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) national headquarters in Abuja to challenge the alleged exclusion of the Kogi East senatorial district from the ongoing political ward creation exercise.
The demonstrators expressed deep dissatisfaction with the current administrative process, claiming that the proposal to create additional political wards fails to provide equitable representation for their region. They argued that the exclusion of Kogi East undermines the democratic rights of its residents and threatens to marginalise the district in future elections.
The protest at the INEC headquarters in Abuja follows growing concerns regarding the fairness of the boundary delimitation and ward creation framework currently being implemented by the commission.
Demands for equitable political representation
The youths, representing various community organisations within the senatorial district, stated that the creation of new political wards is a vital step in decentralising governance and ensuring that grassroots populations can access political structures more easily. According to the protesters, the current draft of the ward creation proposal does not reflect the demographic realities or the population density of the Kogi East area.
A spokesperson for the coalition stated that without the creation of these additional wards, the district would face significant political disadvantages compared to other senatorial districts in Kogi State. They warned that a lack of proportional representation would lead to a political imbalance, potentially causing long-term friction within the state’s political landscape.
In the Nigerian electoral system, the creation of wards is a fundamental task managed by INEC to ensure that voting centres are accessible and that local political administration is effective. However, the process is frequently subject to intense scrutiny, as the number of wards in a local government area directly influences political influence and the distribution of resources during election cycles.
The protesters have submitted a formal memorandum to the INEC leadership, requesting an immediate review of the ward creation proposal to ensure that Kogi East is granted its fair share of representation. They emphasised that political inclusion is a constitutional requirement necessary for a functioning democracy.
The leadership of INEC has yet to release an official response to the specific allegations of exclusion or the memorandum submitted by the Kogi East youths. The coalition has stated they will continue to monitor the commission’s progress and may organise further actions if their demands for equitable representation are not addressed in the final ward delimitation report.
Explore more News stories from Business Elites Africa.
