Ijaw people from Warri Federal Constituency in Delta State on Monday protested at the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission in Abuja, demanding the implementation of a Supreme Court-backed delineation report for the constituency.
The protesters, under the aegis of Operation Rescue Ijaw Nation Crusaders, said they had previously visited INEC on the same issue and were promised a response, which they claimed was yet to come.
They warned that failure to address their demands could jeopardise elections in the Warri Federal Constituency.
Speaking during the protest, the Deputy Coordinator of the group, Freeborn Abraye, said they were appealing for the implementation of the Supreme Court judgment ordering a fresh delineation exercise in the constituency.
“Myself and my fellow comrades are here to plead with INEC to implement the Supreme Court-ordered delineation report for the Warri Federal Constituency. This is the second time we are coming here. The first time, INEC told us they would get back to us positively, but more than a year later, nothing has been done,” he said.
Abraye recalled that the Supreme Court of Nigeria had ordered INEC to conduct a fresh ward delineation exercise following allegations of political imbalance among the three ethnic groups in the area — Ijaw, Urhobo, and Itsekiri.
According to him, the Ijaw and Urhobo ethnic groups had long been underrepresented politically, while the Itsekiri ethnic group dominated representation in the constituency.
“The Supreme Court directed INEC to carry out a fresh delineation exercise, which it did. But after the exercise, INEC has refused to implement the report. We are here to call on INEC to implement it,” he added.
He alleged that the delay was creating tension ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“This is a matter of fairness, democratic representation, and respect for due process. INEC conducted the exercise in collaboration with representatives of the three ethnic groups. So why is the commission afraid to implement the report it prepared?” he queried.
Abraye further alleged that the constituency had been excluded from recent Continuous Voter Registration exercises, describing the situation as an attempt to disenfranchise the people.
“We are not second-class citizens in this country. The Ijaws of Warri Federal Constituency have been marginalised for over two decades. It took more than 10 years before the Supreme Court finally gave this order, and now INEC wants to disenfranchise us again,” he said.
He warned that the group might not return to Abuja for further protests.
“If there is no implementation of the delineation report, there will be no election in Warri Federal Constituency. We are on the side of justice and fairness,” he added.
Another protest leader, Ellington Bakumor, accused INEC of delaying implementation despite carrying out the exercise with representatives of the Ijaw, Itsekiri, and Urhobo ethnic groups.
“The results were fair because all parties were involved. So what is the issue? Why is INEC disenfranchising us?” he asked.
Bakumor also alleged political interference and warned that peaceful elections could not be guaranteed if the report was not implemented.
“We are tired of begging. This is the second time we are coming here from Warri to Abuja to ask INEC to do the needful. If INEC fails to act, we can no longer guarantee elections in Warri Federal Constituency,” he said.
In a petition submitted to INEC and signed by the group’s coordinator, Awipi Lawson, the protesters said their action was aimed at upholding the rule of law through the implementation of the Supreme Court judgment delivered on December 2, 2022, in Hon. George Timinimi & Others v. INEC (SC.413/2016).
The petition stated that the apex court had directed INEC to conduct a fresh and constitutionally compliant ward and polling unit delineation in Warri North, Warri South, and Warri South-West Local Government Areas.
According to the group, the court ruled that no election or electoral activity should take place in the constituency until the delineation exercise was completed and implemented.