Warri delineation: Itsekiri groups reject proposals

By Akpokona Omafuaire & Matilda Ikediobi

EFFURUN—Itsekiri groups in Delta State have rejected the fresh delineation of wards, polling units and constituencies proposed by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, for the Warri Federal Constituency, describing the exercise as fraudulent, provocative and inconsistent with constitutional provisions and historical realities of the area.

The rejection came from the Itsekiri Leaders of Thought, ILoT, and the Itsekiri National Youth Council, INYC, even as Ijaw and Urhobo ethnic nationalities in the constituency endorsed the final report released by INEC and warned against any attempt to alter it.

ILoT, in a statement signed by its Secretary, Amorighoye Mene, faulted the process that produced the proposed delineation, alleging that the fieldwork and Geographic Information System, GIS, mapping conducted by INEC failed to comply with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution, the Electoral Act 2026 and INEC’s own guidelines.

The group specifically rejected the proposed delineation of wards, polling units, state constituencies and the additional federal constituency arising from the exercise released by INEC in Asaba on May 20, 2026.

“While we welcome the creation of two additional state constituencies and one federal constituency, the devil is in the details and composition. The composition is based on the earlier rejected fraudulent data released by INEC on April 4, 2025, at Asaba in Delta State,” the statement said.

ILoT maintained that although the Supreme Court directed INEC to conduct a fresh delineation exercise in Warri South, Warri South-West and Warri North Local Government Areas, the apex court did not declare the existing wards, polling units or voter register as fake or fictitious.

The group further accused INEC of allegedly exceeding its constitutional mandate during the delineation process.

“We are deeply concerned that INEC, in the course of its field operations and GIS mapping, appears to have exceeded its constitutional mandate by engaging in activities outside its electoral responsibilities, including the identification and recognition of communities, demographic interpretations and territorial classifications.

“We maintain that INEC’s role is strictly administrative and electoral, not ethnographic or territorial,” the statement added.

Similarly, the Itsekiri National Youth Council, INYC, rejected the proposed ward delineation, describing the exercise as unacceptable and provocative.

In a statement signed by its President, Comrade Appearance Afejuke, the youth body said the proposed delineation undermined the political representation and ancestral identity of Itsekiri communities across the three local government areas that make up the Warri Federal Constituency.

“The Itsekiri people have continued to maintain a longstanding historical presence in the Warri axis, and any attempt to distort that reality through electoral delineation would be resisted because INEC, in the course of its field operations and GIS mapping, appears to have exceeded its constitutional mandate,” Afejuke stated.

The group called on INEC to immediately review the proposed delineation and investigate concerns earlier raised by the Itsekiri people regarding the credibility, legality and technical integrity of the exercise.

“We also appeal to the Federal Government and relevant authorities to intervene constructively in order to avoid tension in the region,” the statement added.

Ijaw, Urhobo back 

INEC report

Meanwhile, Ijaw and Urhobo ethnic nationalities in Warri Federal Constituency have commended INEC for releasing the final report on the Supreme Court-ordered delineation exercise, describing the move as courageous and capable of addressing decades of political tension in the area.

Speaking during a press briefing at KFT Event Centre, Effurun, Olorogun Victor Okumagba, who read a joint statement on behalf of the Ijaw and Urhobo people, said the report substantially addressed long standing agitations over political marginalisation and inadequate representation.

The groups particularly applauded INEC for creating additional State House of Assembly constituencies for Warri North and Warri South-West Local Government Areas and for recommending the creation of an additional federal constituency identified as Warri Federal Constituency II.

“The problem of the Warri Federal Constituency over the years has been lack of political space for people from the different ethnic nationalities to participate in the political process. This gave rise to a sense of oppression and political alienation,” the statement said.

The groups also warned against any attempt to tamper with the final delineation report.

“We are aware and we are holding copies of the final report of the delineation exercise. We advise, in the interest of peace, that there should be no alteration from any quarter, otherwise it will not be too palatable for the system and the government of Nigeria,” Okumagba warned.

The post Warri delineation: Itsekiri groups reject proposals appeared first on Vanguard News.