By joshua 
PROPOSED WARD CREATION: Okai Urges INEC Chairman Not to Cause Problem In Kogi state by Sideline Kogi East
Kogi-born political activist Comrade Usman Okai Austin has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure that Kogi East Senatorial District is fairly represented in the ongoing creation of new electoral wards.
In a press statement, Okai accused the commission of marginalizing Kogi East in its proposed ward restructuring. He stressed that the ward-creation exercise must adhere strictly to established legal and administrative parameters, including population density and geographical landmass.
Okai alleged that the current proposal disproportionately favors Kogi West and select areas, warning that such perceived bias could spark political tension. He said there is no justification for excluding Kogi East — the most populous region with the largest landmass in the state — from the exercise.
He urged INEC leadership to act as impartial public servants for the entire state rather than favoring a single zone, and appealed to critical stakeholders across all districts to advocate for equity and justice. He warned that actions perceived as victimizing the people of Kogi East could trigger widespread political unrest, and insisted the current proposal should not be implemented without a comprehensive review.
Okai further alleged that INEC has distributed wards across every local government in Kogi West, with Ijumu to get an additional nine wards; Mopa four; Yagba East six; Yagba West four; Kabba-Bunu four; and Okene five — while the nine local governments of Kogi East received none.
Okai also reminded INEC leadership that the chairman’s appointment was celebrated across all three senatorial districts of Kogi State, and cautioned against using the office to advance regional favoritism at the expense of state unity.