Ward redelineation: INEC under fire as Itsekiri nation calls for probe

By Jimitota Onoyume

Itsekiri nation has called on the federal government to set up an independent commission of inquiry to probe the actions of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, on the recent ward redelineation exercise in Warri federal constituency.

The Ologbotsere of Warri kingdom, Chief Oma Eyewuoma, Chief Brown Mene and the Secretary Itsekiri Leaders of Thought , ILoT, Sir Sunny Mene at a press briefing yesterday in Warri south local government area Delta state, alleged that the electoral commission created phantom polling units and wards in the federal constituency to deliberately shortchange the Itsekiri nation.

They said any official of the commission found wanting at the end of the probe should be sanctioned in accordance with the laws of the land.

The Itsekiri nation also faulted several coordinates presented by INEC in its preliminary report on the ward redelineation exercise , saying they were fake and spurious

The Ologbotsere in his remarks alleged that Itsekiri nation was being oppressed , marginalized and suppressed with an intention by those behind it to divert its oil wells.

He said Itsekiri would not resort to any action that threatens peace , stressing that they would continue to act within the confines of the law as they agitate for justice and fairness.

He also alleged that the electoral body selectively implemented judgement , an act he said was unfair and unjust.

“Itsekiri ethnic group, a peace loving ethnic nationality is being oppressed. They are being deprived , everybody wants Itsekiri land because of the resources God put under it. Please the press should take our case to the public . We see cases of selective obedience to court judgment . The press should not join them. The press should be detached from such. We are not good at issuing threats.”, he said.

Secretary of ILoT, Sunny Mene, dismissed claims by Urhobo and Ijaw of Warri federal constituency in several publications that they were denied political representation in the constituency, adding that Itsekiri nation had been ” very magnanimous in conceding to the Ijaw and Urhobo representation in Warri federal constituency. In Warri south West for example, the Deputy governor under Okowa administration is Kingsley Otuaro from Gbaramatu in Warri south West local government “.

” The only seat in the Delta state House of Assembly for Warri south West local government area is today occupied by the current speaker of the Delta state House of Assembly from the same Gbaramatu. The current Chairman of Warri south West local government area is of Ijaw extraction and in addition they also have councillors . In Warri south local government , of the two state House of Assembly seats, one of the seats has been severally occupied by the Urhobo”, he added.

He also condemned reported threat by Ijaw and Urhobo of the federal constituency to peace over the ward redelineation exercise , adding that INEC should ignore alleged threats by the two ethnic groups to boycott the continuous voters registration exercise.

He said ” Therefore we condemn in its entirety the threat of Ijaw and Urhobo of the Warri federal constituency at their press conference to peace and security .

“We deprecate in the strongest possible terms, particularly their threat to shutdown strategic oil and gas facilities as well as other national assets by acts of vandalism and sabotage. We urge INEC to disregard their threats to boycott and sundry unsavoury acts”.

A communique circulated at the press briefing with the heading ” by the Itsekiri ethnic nationality on the INEC’s fraudulent reports on redelineation of the Warri federal constituency “, also called on the federal government to ensure that officials of the electoral commission found to be culpable at the end of the probe were sanctioned in accordance with the law.

” At the end of the commission of inquiry , INEC officials and other public office holders found culpable in the INEC charade regarded as polling units and wards redelineation in Warri federal constituency should be appropriately punished to act as deterrent to others with intention for similar course of action “, it read .

The communique also accused the electoral body of allegedly exhibiting bias against Itsekiri nation in the execution of a Supreme Court judgement on the redelineation of Warri federal constituency.

It reads : “As a law abiding ethnic nationality we are not against the execution of the Supreme Court order on the redelineation of the Warri federal constituency.

“We reject the bias and illegality associated with INEC execution of the said judgment.

“We also demand the immediate implementation of all judicial decisions in the Warri federal constituency, including the court of Appeal judgment on ten wards structure in Warri south local government area for which there is no appeal “.

“We reject the bias and illegality associated with INEC execution of the said judgment. The technical sessions have shown that the coordinates of the polling units and wards created by INEC do not correspond with the actual locations on ground “

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