Tensions Rise in Warri as Itsekiri Group Protests INEC’s Ward Delineation Exercise

Warri, Delta State – May 19, 2025
The Warri Indigenous People’s Movement (WIPM) has taken to the streets of Warri in protest, voicing deep concerns over the ongoing delineation of electoral wards in Warri Federal Constituency. The group described the protest as a direct response to recent remarks made by Ijaw and Urhobo groups and to perceived irregularities in the conduct of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Addressing the media during the protest, WIPM General Secretary, Comrade Monoyo Edon, stated that the Itsekiri ethnic group is not opposed to the Supreme Court-ordered delineation itself, but expressed disappointment with INEC’s alleged failure to adhere to its own operational guidelines during the fieldwork phase of the process.

“We support lawful delineation in line with the Supreme Court judgment,” Edon said. “However, we strongly condemn INEC for abandoning its own rules and procedures in carrying out the exercise. This has once again exposed the Itsekiris to potential manipulation and marginalization.”

Edon accused INEC of historical bias, claiming that previous delineation exercises had amounted to gerrymandering that strategically reduced the political representation of the Itsekiri people. He warned that continuing in this manner risks deepening ethnic tensions and undermining the credibility of the electoral process in the region.

The WIPM also criticized certain leaders of the Ijaw ethnic group for what they described as inflammatory and divisive rhetoric. Specifically, Edon named the Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Dennis Otuaro, accusing him of making statements intended to incite hostility and stir ethnic resentment.

“Instead of promoting peace and reconciliation, some Ijaw leaders are engaging in blackmail and stoking ethnic sentiments. The blackmail of the First Lady, simply because of her Itsekiri heritage, is unacceptable and an affront to national unity,” he said.

WIPM called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the National Assembly, and relevant stakeholders to urgently intervene to ensure that the delineation process is carried out fairly and transparently, and that peace is maintained in Warri and its environs.

The protest underscores growing ethnic sensitivities in Delta State, where historical grievances and competition for political representation continue to shape inter-group relations. The situation has sparked concern among observers who fear that mishandling the delineation exercise could escalate tensions in the oil-rich but volatile Niger Delta region.