Warri federal constituency: Ijaw indigenes storm INEC secretariat

The controversy over the ward delineation in Warri Federal Constituency took a new twist on Thursday as the Ijaw nationality in the Warri Federal Constituency stormed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) headquarters in Abuja to demand the implementation of the Commission’s recommendation on enforcement of the Supreme Court judgement regarding the delineation of wards.

The Ijaws in the Warri Federal Constituency were led by Chief David Reje and Pastor Arko Samuel.

Investigations by Tribune Online revealed that the Itsekiri Nation had, on Wednesday, shut down a 28,000 barrels-per-day crude oil facility in Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State in protest against the proposed ward delineation. The aggrieved Itsekiri people are demanding the withdrawal of INEC’s proposal regarding the ward delineation in Warri Federal Constituency, arguing that proper delineation—one which acknowledges the historical and legitimate names of communities in Warri South, Warri South-West, and Warri North Local Government Areas—should be carried out by the Commission.

Further findings revealed that INEC, in a statement on Thursday, disclosed that it was yet to take a definitive position on the delineation of wards in the Warri Federal Constituency. The Commission assured in the statement that consultations were ongoing in order to “arrive at an amicable agreement endorsed by all parties involved.”

While addressing journalists at the Commission’s headquarters, Chief David Reje, spokesperson for the Ijaws in Warri Federal Constituency, stated that the Ijaw Nation was satisfied with INEC’s yet-to-be-implemented report. He disclosed that the electoral umpire’s consultations had been inclusive, with the Ijaw, Itsekiri, and Urhobo nationalities all involved.

Reje, who described the contentious delineation as an eye-opener and an opportunity for political emancipation for the Ijaws in the constituency, cautioned INEC not to succumb to any form of intimidation from the Itsekiri Nation.

He said, “You have engaged all the stakeholders, all the ethnic nationalities. You have come out with a proposed document, and some people are trying to be funny—particularly my Itsekiri brothers.
We have come to thank you and let the public know that you didn’t sit in one corner; you did fieldwork.
We appreciate you for the good work you’ve done to implement the Supreme Court judgement.
We now know that our votes will count. The Itsekiri will no longer dictate to us whom to vote for. We are the majority, and this is the time for our political emancipation. We are all equal stakeholders; we do not seek to marginalise anyone. This is our time for political freedom—Ijaws of Warri South, North, and Central in the Warri community.”

Another Ijaw leader, Pastor Samuel, echoed similar sentiments as he expressed concern over what he described as a sudden volte-face by the Itsekiris, who, he noted, were fully integrated by INEC during consultations with all stakeholders in the Warri Federal Constituency.

“Our mission is to thank INEC for making efforts to implement the Supreme Court judgement.
We had a stakeholders’ meeting on 4th April, and it was conducted peacefully. We want our votes to count. The exercise took 17 months, and INEC carried out a thorough job. It should go ahead and implement its report. Ijaws, Urhobo, Itsekiri—all of us were consulted and agreed with INEC to carry out this assignment. They should go ahead and implement their report.”

INEC National Commissioner, Abdullahi Abdul Zuru—who, alongside fellow National Commissioner Mohammed Haruna, received the Ijaw leaders—assured them that the Commission would be fair and just in the implementation of its recommendations.

He said, “We want to thank you most sincerely for coming here as one of the major stakeholders in this discussion. Thank you for appreciating what the Commission has done so far. We want to assure you that, as a Commission, we are dedicated to doing what is right as far as democracy in Nigeria is concerned. And, God willing, we will ensure that democracy, at the end of the day, is what guides everything that we do.”

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