Former Imo State House of Assembly Speaker Goodluck Opiah has asked the Independent National Electoral Commission to increase the number of state constituencies from 27 to either 30 or 40, saying the current figure falls short of constitutional requirements.
In a letter dated October 14, 2026, and addressed to the INEC chairman in Abuja, Opiah’s lawyers argued that Imo’s 10 federal constituencies should produce either three or four times that number of state seats. The petition, signed by Emmanuel Opiah of Lex Fontis Legal Practitioners, cites Sections 91, 112, 113, 114 and 115 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
Section 112, the lawyers maintained, provides for state constituencies to number three or four times the federal constituencies in a state, subject to related provisions. On that basis, they contend that 27 seats are below the minimum applicable to Imo.
The petition also points to Section 113’s requirement for population balance when drawing boundaries and Section 114(1), which calls for reviews at intervals of not less than 10 years. It notes that the existing arrangement has not undergone a comprehensive review since 1999 and asks INEC to determine whether it complies with the constitution.
Opiah, a former Minister of State for Education and former member of the House of Representatives, urged the commission to assess the 27 constituencies, fix the appropriate number and boundaries, and take the necessary administrative and legal steps. Under Section 115, any alteration would take effect only after National Assembly approval and after the current life of the House of Assembly.
The lawyers requested a response within 30 days, stating that Opiah prefers to resolve the matter through constitutional and administrative channels rather than litigation.
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