Kogi East Youths Protest INEC Over Ward Marginalization

On Wednesday, the Coalition of Kogi East Youths Association protested at the national headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja, claiming their region is being deliberately marginalized in the ongoing creation of additional political wards in Kogi State. The protesters highlighted that Kogi East, which has the highest population and voter turnout, was excluded from the proposed ward expansion, while Kogi West and Kogi Central, which are less populated, were included.

Isaiah Davies Ijele, the association's leader, urged INEC Chairman Professor Joash Amupitan, who is from Kogi State, to address this perceived injustice. Citing the 2006 national census, Ijele stated that Kogi East accounted for 1.3 million of the state's 3.4 million population, arguing this demographic weight warrants prioritization.

The association presented three demands: suspension of any ward creation excluding Kogi East, public disclosure of criteria for new wards, and a transparent review of the ward creation process.