Ijaw, Urhobo leaders demand immediate release of ward delineation report
Communities warn of exclusion from elections if INEC fails to comply
Supreme Court ruling on Warri wards yet to be implemented three years after
The Indigenous Ijaw and Urhobo people of Warri Federal Constituency have accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of disregarding a Supreme Court judgement which ordered a fresh delineation of electoral wards in the area.
The leaders, at a world press conference held in Warri on Monday, insisted that there were no existing electoral wards or polling units in Warri constituency upon which the commission could base its ongoing continuous voter registration.
This was contained in a statement signed by Olorogun Victor Okumagba, Dr Joel Bisina, Chief Arthur Akpodubakaye, Reverend Samuel Ako, Chief Emmanuel Sekondi, Hon Frank Pukon, Amb Jude Ebitimi Ukori, Chief David Reje, Comrade (Mrs) Margaret Ikinbor, Chief Monday Keme, Chief John Eranvor, Chief Sylvester Femi Okumagba, Chief Wilson Ogbodu, and Chief (Mrs) Ann Gagiyovwi JP, on behalf of the groups.
The statement reads partly:
“It is with great sadness, yet unbroken resolve, that we, the undersigned representatives of the Indigenous Ijaw and Urhobo People of Warri Federal Constituency bring to your attention the alarming plan of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to undermine and debase the rule of law, suppress and strangulate our fundamental democratic rights to participate in the electoral processes, and unconscionably deal a death blow to democracy in Warri, Delta State.
“Distinguish members of the global press and advocates for human rights and democratic principles, it is important to draw your attention to the fact that it is the failure of INEC to address these imbalances that led to the Warri crisis, which unfolded in two phases: 1997-1999 and 2002-2003, involving conflicts between Ijaw and Itsekiri, and Urhobo and Itsekiri.
“It is on the basis of the foregoing that, the Supreme Court of Nigeria on the 2nd of December, 2022 ordered INEC as follows: ‘AN ORDER of this honourable court compelling the defendant, its agents, servants, privies and assigns to conduct a fresh delineation of all that electoral wards/polling units for Warri South-West, Warri North and Warri South local government areas of Warri Federal Constituency in Delta State for the purpose of future elections.’
“That the Supreme Court ordered judgement drawn upon INEC to delineate fresh wards and units in Warri presupposes that hitherto existed wards were flawed and does not satisfy statutory requirement for credible future elections.”
The groups argued that it was criminal, illegal and contemptuous of the apex court judgement for INEC to proceed with voter registration when the delineation report has not been published.
They recalled that INEC had presented a draft report of the delineation exercise to stakeholders on April 4, 2025, but five months later, the final version had not been released. Instead, the commission had commenced preparations for future elections.
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Community leaders, including Chief Godspower Gbenakama, Dr Joel Bisina, Reverend Samuel Ako, Chief Emmanuel Sekondi and Chief John Eranvor, called on INEC to immediately release and implement the report “painstakingly embarked upon by stakeholders.”
They further warned that while they were capable of shutting down oil operations in their areas, they would instead continue to pursue all democratic means to protect their rights.
