Ward Delineation: Ijaw, Urhobo Demand Implementation Of INEC Report

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LAGOS – Ijaw and Urhobo of Warri Federal Constituency of Delta State have written to the Chairman of the In­dependent National Elec­toral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Amupitan, demanding the immediate implementation of the re­port on the delineation of wards following the Su­preme Court judgment com­pelling the electoral body to conduct a fresh delineation of all electoral wards/poll­ing units for Warri South West, Warri North and War­ri South local government areas of the state.

The INEC report recom­mended creation of two state constituencies.

In an open letter ad­dressed to the INEC Chair­man, Amupitan, and signed by Olorogun Victor Okum­agba, Dr. Paul Bebenimibo, Dr. Joel Bising, Rev. Ako Samuel, Akpodubakaye Ar­thur, Chief John Eranvor, and Alaoweo Denbo-Denbo­fa Oweikpodor on behalf of the Ijaw and Urhobo people of Warri Federal Constit­uency of Delta State, they expressed shock over the non-implementation of the report more than 20 days af­ter INEC submitted it.

“The Ijaw and Urhobo people of Warri Federal Constituency are shocked that more than 20 days af­ter INEC presented its final report, the implementation of the report has not start­ed as promised by INEC,” they said in the open letter.

“We note that the dead­line for submission of a list of candidates of political parties to contest the 2027 general elections is fast ap­proaching.”

In the letter, the people accused the presidency of influencing the non-imple­mentation of the report, al­leging that it stemmed from President Bola Tinubu’s matrimonial affiliation with the area, challenging INEC to maintain its inde­pendence.

“We have in good au­thority that INEC’s failure to immediately implement the report of the fresh de­lineation as promised, is as a result of external inter­ference by the presidency which ordered that the im­plementation of the final report be put on hold. We strongly believe that, this decision arose from Presi­dent Tinubu’s matrimonial ties to the Itsekiri ethnic nationality.

“It is an absurdity for INEC under your lead­ership to subject the im­plementation of the judg­ment of the apex court to any other authority. The constitutional duty of all agencies of government in the context of the fresh delineation of electoral wards and polling units as ordered by the Supreme Court in the Warri Feder­al Constituency of Delta State is to ensure the en­forcement of the order of the Supreme Court to its logical conclusion. To do otherwise, irrespective of whose interest is involved amounts to violent attack on the rule of law, threat to peace and security in the Warri Federal Constituen­cy and democratic survival in Nigeria.

“The Ijaw and Uhrobo people of Warri condemn, in the strongest terms, INEC’s suspension of the immediate implementation of its final report of the Supreme Court ordered fresh delineation of Warri Federal Constituency of Delta State based on exter­nal interference.

“We state without equiv­ocation that, INEC’s action is a threat to peace and se­curity in the Warri Feder­al Constituency of Delta State, the rule of law and democratic survival in Ni­geria.”

Furthermore, the peti­tioners charged the umpire to immediately start imple­mentation of the report, urging it to direct political parties to conduct prima­ries for the new constituen­cies. They called on Amupi­tan to obey the ruling of the apex court as a Senior Advocate of Nigeria.

“Mr. Chairman, as you know as Professor of Law and Senior Advocate of Ni­geria, the rule of law is the bedrock of democracy. The rule of law should prevail irrespective of whose inter­est is involved, including that of the president. The Warri Federal Constitu­ency delineation is a test of INEC’s commitment to the rule of law under your leadership. Consequently, we humbly demand from INEC as follows.

“The commission should immediately implement the final report of the fresh delineation of polling units and electoral wards/regis­tration areas in the Warri Federal Constituency com­prising of Warri North, Warri South and Warri South West local govern­ment areas of Delta State presented to stakeholders on 20/5/2026 without fur­ther delay and alteration.

“INEC should direct po­litical parties to conduct primaries for the nomina­tion of candidates to partic­ipate in the 2027 elections in the newly created state con­stituencies in Warri North and Warri South West local government areas of Delta State into the Delta State House of Assembly.

“All electoral activities by the commission that involve the use of polling units and registration ar­eas/electoral wards in the Warri Federal Constituen­cy of Delta State should be based on the final report of the fresh delineation.

“We wish to state in con­clusion that, the commis­sion’s actions in refusing to obey the rule of law is leading to frustrations and unnecessary tension in the Warri Federal Constituen­cy and you would be held personally responsible for any breakdown of law and order as a result.

“Mr. Chairman, the ac­tions of the commission are direct threat to the rule of law in Nigeria. If there is any time in the history of INEC where the rule of law ought to take the front seat, it ought to be now that the commission is under your leadership as Professor of law and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).”