The Ogbe-ljoh Kingdom Oil Producing Communities in Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State has threatened to disrupt oil and gas operations in their area if perceived injustice against them in the allocation of wards is not addressed.

The communities rejected INEC’s proposed allocation of 19 Registration Areas/Electoral Wards for the LGA as contained In its field report, insisting they “deserve eight wards” being the most populated area with more land mass and communities in Warri Southwest, and as well, in line with the Electoral Act, 2022 and INEC’s Guidelines/Criteria for the fresh delineation.

At a briefing at Tekedor/Kusimi Community, also known as Egwa II, Tuesday, the Ogbe-Ijoh oil communities called on the Chairman of INEC to address the “gross and wicked injustice” against them, for the interest of peace and fairness.

A statement by Dcn. Clement Tekedor, Chief Samson Oyimi, Emmanuel Kusimi and Johnbull Aniyangha warned: “We shall be forced to take our destiny into our hands and cannot guarantee the further flow of oil and gas from our communities, if the injustice against us is not addressed. We will shut down oil and gas facilities in our communities, if this grave injustice against us is not addressed by INEC.”

Ogbe-Ijoh Kingdom is host to the Ajuju/Batan oil field, Egwa II oil field and flowstation, Odidi I and II oil fields, Ikremo manifold, Ugbanabubou field, and flowstations in OML 30, OML 42 and PPL 213.

They expressed dismay that out of 19 wards proposed for the LGA, only two were allocated to Ogbe-Ijoh Kingdom while nine was allocated to Gbaramatu Kingdom, five to Itsekiri Communities, two to Isaba Kingdom and one to Diebiri Clan.

They also worried that communities with existing polling units like Tekedor/Kusimi, Kusimi, Eweregbene, Boubougbene, Dudueghagbene and Dubelegbene were suppressed with fictitious communities included in their places in the map that was drawn up by INEC.

“It is important to note that, the Ogbe-Ijoh Kingdom by the records of the National Population Commission (NPC) has the highest population, landmass and settlements/communities in Warri South West Local Government Area. Ogbe-Ijoh Kingdom settlements and communities constitute One Hundred and Sixteen (116) Localities (after removing Diebiri Clan) out of the Two Hundred and Ninety (290) Localities in the entire Warri South West Local Government in the National Population Commission (NPC) Housing and Locality Enumeration Report, 2023, which represents about 40% of the entire local government area.

“During the field work, INEC officials visited 130 Communities/Localities and identified 251 points for creation of polling units in Ogbe-Ijoh Kingdom.

“INEC in its Guidelines/Criteria for the fresh delineation released on the 21st of March, 2024 before the field work, stated that, population, geographical compactness and contiguity shall form the basis of the fresh delineation in line with the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022.

“However, the interim report released by INEC runs contrary to all the Criteria contained in its Guidelines on the fresh delineation, especially population which is the foundation for the fresh delineation of registration areas.

“Despite Ogbe-Ijoh Kingdom, having the highest population of about 40%, we were allocated only two (2) out of the nineteen (19) Registration areas/electoral wards proposed for Warri South West LGA.

“The question we are asking INEC is, what criteria did you use in allocating Registration Areas/Electoral Wards in Warri South West LGA? How did INEC arrive at the decision to allocate only two Registration Areas/Electoral Wards to Ogbe-Ijoh and allocated nine (9) to Gbaramatu Kingdom? Is INEC saying that Gbaramatu Kingdom is five (5) times populated and bigger than Ogbe-Ijoh Kingdom? Also, is INEC saying that the Itsekiri Communities in Warri South West Local Government Area are three (3) times bigger and populated than Ogbe-Ijoh Kingdom?

“We the oil producing Communities of Ogbe-Ijoh Kingdom make bold to state that, there is no record anywhere which shows that Gbaramatu Kingdom is five (5) times bigger than Ogbe-Ijoh Kingdom. There is also no record anywhere to the effect that, the Itsekiri Communities in Warri South West are three times more populated and bigger than Ogbe-Ijoh Ogbe-Ijoh Kingdom.

“On the contrary, the available records by the National Population Commission which is the body empowered to keep records of population, localities and housing data in Nigeria shows that Ogbe-Ijoh Kingdom is more populated with actual localities/communities than all other Kingdoms and ethnic groups in Warri South West Local Government Area,” parts of the statement read.

They alleged that series of letters to INEC seeking redress appear being frustrated by “powerful persons in INEC,” further disclosing that same individuals “have again made recommendations that are worse than the earlier interim report that was released on April 4, 2025.

“We are aware that, these powerful officers of INEC are working with some political stakeholders in Warri South West Local Government Area. The purpose is to politically decimate and dominate the Ogbe-Ijoh people. We reject this act of wickedness and we shall use every means at our disposal to fight for justice. The Ogbe-Ijoh Kingdom and its oil producing Communities eill not and will never accept this injustice.” (The Nation)