Youths under the auspices of Operation Rescue Ijaw Nation Crusaders (ORINC) yesterday staged a protest at the headquarters of the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) with a threat to stall the upcoming general election if the electoral umpire does not implement the Supreme Court judgement mandating it to delicate ward and polling unit under the Warri Federal Constituency, Delta state.

The group warned “without the completion and implementation of the Supreme Court Judgement there will be no electoral activity in the constituency. Any election or voter registration exercise conducted in defiance of this Supreme court directive shall be null, void and of no legal effect whatsoever.”

It should be noted that this is the second time that the group is staging a protest at the INEC headquarter to make the same demand. The group however warned that they would not want to return back on the same issue saying if the supreme court judgement is not implemented before the 2027 general election, the election umpire will be held responsible for whatever happens.

The Deputy Coordinator of the ORNC, Comrade Freeborn Abraye, while addressing journalist during the protest explained that Warri Federal Constituency has three major ethnic group including the Ijaw, Uhrobo and the Itshekiri, but since 1999, the Itshekiri has dominated political system, though being the minorities.

He said: “We have been with that system for over two decades. Before we made the case against INEC, and then the Supreme Court gave an order for INEC to carry out a delineation exercise, which INEC did. After the exercise, INEC has refused to implement the report from that exercise.”

“As we speak now, there is no political structure in Warrington Federal Constituency. We all need fair representation. So without a political structure, we cannot have representation”, he stated

The group in a letter submitted to the INEC Chairman and signed by its Coordinator, Comrade Awipi Lawson, said: “We write to you as citizens and stakeholders in the democratic future of Nigeria, particularly with respect to Warri Federal Constituency of Delta State. This protest letter is necessitated by the urgent need to uphold the rule of law through the full and timely implementation of the Supreme Court judgment delivered on December 2, 2022, in Hon. George Timinimi & Others v. INEC (Suit No: SC.413/2016).”

“In its landmark judgment in Hon. George Timinimi & Ors v. Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) (SC.413/2016), the Supreme Court of Nigeria directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct a fresh, lawful and constitutionally compliant ward and polling unit delineation in Warri North, Warri South, and Warri South-West Local Government Areas, which collectively constitute the Warri Federal Constituency.”

“The Apex Court unequivocally held that no election or electoral activity shall take place within the Warri Federal constituency until the delineation exercise is duly completed and implemented. This pronouncement, being the decision of the nation’s highest court, is final, binding and enforceable, as expressly guaranteed by Section 287(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).”

They group stated that although INEC has carried out the delineation exercise but it’s yet to release the final fieldwork report and operationalization of this report saying the delay may undermine the Supreme Court, judgement and the integrity of future elections and disenfranchisement of the entire people of Warri Federal Constituency in the forthcoming general elections, 2027.

The group thereby called on INEC to:

Immediately release the final fieldwork report of the ward and polling unit delineation for Warri Federal Constituency, fully implement the Supreme Court judgment by completing, gazetting and operationalizing the lawful delineation before any further electoral activity; suspend and cancel the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) and every other Electoral Activities in Warri Federal Constituency until the delineation exercise is fully implemented and certified.

They emphasized that INEC’s actions must reflect the demographic composition as accurately recorded in its own fieldwork report and as proposed on the 4th April 2025, indicating the proposed configuration of electoral wards as follows Ijaw: 14 wards, Itsekiri: 5 wards, Warri South LGA, Ijaw: 3 wards, Itsekiri: 8 wards, Urhobo: 9 wards, and under Warri North LGA Ijaw: 10 wards, Itsekiri: 8 wards.

This proposal according to them reflects the Ijaw ethnic group’s majority status in the Warri Federal Constituency, saying failure to implement this configuration not only contravenes the Supreme Court’s directive but also risks marginalizing the majority population and distorting democratic representation which might cause political crisis.

The Assistant Director of Security, Mohamed Ahmad, while receiving the letter on behalf of the commission said the INEC Chairman and the commissioners are available. He however assured to deliver the letter to the INEC Chairman when he returns. (The Guardian)

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