The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has officially released the Supreme Court-ordered ward delineation for Warri Federal Constituency, bringing a major development to the long-standing political and ethnic disagreements among the Ijaw, Itsekiri, and Urhobo nationalities in Warri South, Warri North, and Warri South-West Local Government Areas.

The new delineation was presented in Asaba during an emergency stakeholders’ meeting by the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Delta State, alongside the supervising National Commissioner for Delta, Edo, and Cross River States.

Under the new arrangement, Warri South has 20 wards, an increase from the previous 12 wards.

The development also creates two state House of Assembly constituencies in the area, with the Itsekiri ethnic nationality retaining one constituency, while the Ijaw and Urhobo groups now share another constituency.

In Warri North, the number of wards has risen from 10 to 20, evenly split between the Ijaw and Itsekiri ethnic groups, with 10 wards each, alongside two state constituencies: Warri North Constituency One and Two.

Warri South-West also now has 20 wards, up from 10, with the Ijaws having 13 wards and the Itsekiris seven wards, alongside two state constituencies.

INEC further announced the proposed creation of an additional House of Representatives seat for Warri North and Warri South-West Federal Constituency, though the commission noted that the proposal remained subject to constitutional amendment by the National Assembly.

The ward delineation exercise follows years of legal battles, protests, and agitations by the various ethnic nationalities over political representation and electoral structure within the Warri Federal Constituency. (Channels TV)