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The Udama Amôma Igala Social Cultural Development Initiative (UISCDI), a socio-cultural organisation committed to the advancement and development of the Igala people, has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to urgently address what it described as a potentially divisive approach to political administration and electoral planning, warning that perceived ethnic imbalance could undermine his administration and weaken political support for the Federal Government in Kogi State.
The organisation made the call in a statement issued by its National President, Mallam Kerimu Paul, and conveyed through its National Secretary, Comrade Sani Michael Omakoji, following an emergency meeting held in Abuja on Friday, September 4, 2026.
The group’s intervention followed reports of a proposed ward-creation exercise in Kogi State which, according to figures circulating publicly, would provide additional wards in parts of Kogi West and Kogi Central while making no corresponding provision for Kogi East.
The reported figures indicate nine proposed additional wards for Ijumu Local Government Area, four for Mopa-Muro, six for Yagba East, four for Yagba West and four for Kabba/Bunu in Kogi West, while Okene Local Government Area in Kogi Central was reportedly listed for five additional wards.
That amounts to 32 reported additional wards across the affected areas, with none reportedly allocated to the nine local government areas that make up Kogi East.
INEC, under its current Chairman, Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan ( From Kogi West ), is constitutionally responsible for electoral administration and delimitation matters.
Professor Amupitan from Kogi West, assumed office as INEC Chairman on October 23, 2025, after his nomination by President Tinubu and confirmation by the Senate.
Reacting to the reported proposal, Udama Amôma Igala, expressed disappointment over what it described as a development that could create a perception of marginalisation among the people of Kogi East.
“It is a great disappointment to observe this development from an institution and leadership that we hold in high esteem,” the organisation said, while urging the electoral commission to ensure that any review or creation of electoral wards is based strictly on transparent, objective and verifiable criteria.
The group argued that population, geographical considerations, administrative convenience, voter distribution and other relevant demographic and electoral data should be considered transparently in any delimitation exercise, rather than political or ethnic considerations.
Available demographic data reinforce the significance of Kogi East in the state’s population distribution. The 2006 population figures put Kogi East at approximately 1,479,144 people, compared with 928,655 in Kogi Central and 906,244 in Kogi West.
On that basis, Kogi East accounted for about 44.6 per cent of the state’s 3.31 million population, while Kogi Central and Kogi West accounted for approximately 28.0 per cent and 27.3 per cent respectively.
The nine local government areas currently comprising Kogi East are Ankpa, Bassa, Dekina, Ibaji, Idah, Igalamela-Odolu, Ofu, Olamaboro and Omala.
INEC’s 2023 General Election report confirms that Kogi State has 21 local government areas, three senatorial districts, nine federal constituencies, 239 registration areas and 3,508 polling units. The state had 1,932,654 registered voters for the 2023 general election.
Udama Amôma Igala, further argued that the demographic weight of Kogi East should not be overlooked in electoral planning.
It noted that the Igala people constitute the largest ethnic group in Kogi State and have a substantial presence across Kogi East.
Academic literature has also described the Igala as the largest ethnic group in Kogi State and cited historical population estimates placing them among Nigeria’s largest ethnic groups.
The organisation also drew attention to the political significance of Kogi East in the 2023 presidential election, when President Tinubu, then the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), won Kogi State with 240,751 votes, representing 52.70 per cent of the 456,790 valid votes cast. Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party scored 145,104 votes, while Labour Party candidate Peter Obi polled 56,217 votes.
A breakdown of the 2023 results shows that Tinubu secured 107,358 votes across the nine Kogi East local government areas: Ankpa, Bassa, Dekina, Ibaji, Idah, Igalamela-Odolu, Ofu, Olamaboro and Omala, amounting to approximately 44.6 per cent of his total 240,751 votes in the state.
The figure demonstrates the substantial contribution of Kogi East to the President’s victory in the state.
Udama Amôma Igala, therefore appealed to President Tinubu to ensure that no action or policy associated with his administration creates a sense of exclusion among the people of Kogi East, particularly at a time when preparations for the 2027 general elections are gathering momentum.
The organisation said it was not opposed to the creation or adjustment of electoral wards where such exercises were justified by population growth, geographical realities, administrative requirements or other objective criteria.
Rather, it insisted that the process must be transparent, inclusive and demonstrably fair to all three senatorial districts.
It warned that if the reported proposal were eventually implemented without adequate corresponding consideration for Kogi East, it could deepen suspicion and ethnic grievances among communities in the state.
According to the group, allowing perceptions of ethnic favouritism or political marginalisation to persist could have consequences beyond electoral administration, potentially damaging inter-ethnic relations and creating unnecessary tension in a state whose population comprises several ethnic and linguistic communities.
Udama Amôma Igala, consequently urged Professor Amupitan and the INEC leadership to publicly clarify the status of the reported ward-creation proposal and make available the demographic, geographical, administrative and electoral data upon which any proposed changes are being based.
While expressing its concern, Udama Amôma Igala Social Cultural Development Initiative, commended President Tinubu for appointing and including sons and daughters of Kogi East in his administration, saying such appointments had helped to strengthen the people’s sense of belonging and recognition within the Federal Government.
The group said it remained committed to constructive engagement with the Federal Government, INEC and other relevant institutions, stressing that its objective was to promote fairness, inclusion, peaceful coexistence and equitable development rather than to inflame ethnic sentiments.
It therefore called on President Tinubu to intervene where necessary and ensure that electoral and political processes under his administration are guided by equity, transparency and respect for Nigeria’s constitutional commitment to equality, warning that unresolved perceptions of marginalisation could eventually erode public confidence and political goodwill.
