UGBARAJO ITSEKIRI YOUTHS (UIY) REJECTS INEC NEW PROPOSAL ON THE DELINEATION OF WARRI FEDERAL CONSTITUENCY AND THE OUTCOME OF THE STAKEHOLDERS MEETING HELD AT THE INEC SECRETARIAT ASABA, DELTA STATE ON THE 20TH DAY OF MAY 2026.
This Publication represents the position of the Ugbarajo Itsekiri Youths (UIY) on the issues concerning the INEC new Proposals on the topic of the delineation exercise that was conducted in the Warri federal Constituency. It is on good record that the independent National Electoral Commission delineated the Warri Federal Constituency pursuant to a judgement of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.
The delineation exercise was conducted in such a way that betrayed the neutrality of INEC and it sacred responsibility of being just and fair to all Nigerians hence the resultant INEC Proposal and the INEC new Proposal are unacceptable to the Itsekiri Nation and to us particularly.
OUR POSITION:
It is our candid position that the Supreme Court in Hon. George Timinimi &Ors v. independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ( SC. 413/2016) did not order INEC to conduct a delineation exercise that is tainted with fraud and corrupt practices.
The INEC new Proposals on the delineation exercise on the Warri federal Constituency is a continuation of the illegalities and fraudulent practices that the Itsekiri Nation have been complaining about in the light of the delineation of Warri Federal Constituency hence we reject the new INEC Proposal in it entirety.
The new report betrays the principles of electoral honesty, transparency, neutrality of INEC and fairness. The new Report can best be described as ‘a electoral fraud that is orchestrated by a State Actor to deprive the Itsekiri People of their electoral relevance’.
While INEC is constitutionally empowered to delineate the Country into Constituencies, Wards and Units as provided under Sections 112- 115 of the 1999 Constitution as Amended , it is our candid position that such a delineation exercise must be in accordance with existing administrative divisions, historical and Geographical factors- INEC new proposal on the delineation of Warri federal Constituency did not take account any of these factors, these explains the reasons why INEC created more electoral Wards for the Ijaws and the Urhobo in Warri South West, Warri North and Warri South Local Government Areas of Delta State.
We adopt as ours and we join other stakeholders of the Itsekiri Nation to vehemently reject these grass injustices that are being perpetuated on the Itsekiri People as reflected in the new INEC Proposal.
The Itsekiri Nation is not against the Supreme Court judgement that ordered for the delineation of the Warri federal Constituency. We reject the INEC new proposal on the grounds that:
1. INEC failed to take into account the complaints and observations of the Itsekiri Nation that have been copiously made to INEC
2. The INEC Proposal created wards and polling units using invented Communities such as Bolouma and Ewein in Warri South which have no historical record or existence.
3. The Court in suit No. W/148/56 between Chief Izoukumo Olioki & 5 Ors( for themselves and on behalf of the Ogbe-Ijoh People Vs. Itsekiri Communal Land Trustees and Chief Sam Warri Esi (for himself and on behalf of the Agbassa and the Igbudu People) and in a plethora of other cases held that the Ijaws have no legal rights in Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State. What is the legal foundation upon which INEC relied on to create Bolouma and Ewein polling units in Warri South?
4. Communities outside Warri federal Constituency including Udu, Burutu, Ughelli South, Aragbo ( Ondo State) were erroneously included in the delineation. Certain units such as Jimmygbene point via coordinates to Ebrohimi ( an Itsekiri Community) was falsely entered as Ijaw Settlements.
5. INEC failed to use the last official population census (2006) or the existing Voters register as the basis for ward delineation.
6. Itsekiri Ward were premeditated merged and reduced while Gbaramatu (Ijaw) was increased to 9 wards despite being riverine and sparsely populated.
7. INEC fraudulently used open Rivers and forest as ward locations.
8. The usage of Persons from Ijaw extractions to chair and conduct the delineation exercise in the Warri federal Constituency.
9. The established fact of manufactured data and figure which substantially marred the whole delineation exercise with fraud.
Flowing from the above, it is incontrovertible that the INEC delineation exercise as reflected in it doomed new proposal is a stentorian breach of Section 9(5) of the Electoral Act 2022. INEC also betrayed the sacred sanctity of it constitutional responsibility. INEC’S actions as reflected on it new proposal is also a clear breach of Section 42 of the 1999 Constitution because if the fraudulent delineation proposal is allowed to stand, it will subject the Itsekiris to electoral disabilities and restrictions as concerns electoral representation and other allied electoral matters
CONCLUSION:
As the Apex Youth Body in Warri Kingdom, we unequivocally state that we will legally resist any attempt to annex Itsekiri Nation Land, in our righteous might, we shall continue to defend the electoral integrity of Warri Kingdom and protect our land from all electoral fraud and malpractices even from State Actors like INEC.
The INEC new proposal can not be sustained in any sane Society hence the Itsekiri Nation will rejects it in it entirety.
Signed
COMR. OKOTIE JOSEPH
(PRESIDENT, UGBARAJO ITSEKIRI YOUTHS)
COMR. JOLOMI JAKPAH
(SECRETARY GENERAL, UGBARAJO ITSEKIRI YOUTHS)
BARR. ONESIOSAN S. OGHOLAJA
(LEGAL ADVISOR, UGBARAJO ITSEKIRI YOUTHS)
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