Indigenous Warri Ijaw and Urhobo ethnic nationalities have accused the Itsekiri ethnic group of working to undermine President Bola Tinubu's intervention aimed at resolving the ward delineation crisis in the Warri Federal Constituency. During a joint media briefing on Sunday, the groups praised the President for convening a high-level meeting that included Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, the National Security Adviser, the Director of the State Security Service, the Chief of Staff to the President, and a representative of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
President's Call for Unity
At the meeting, President Tinubu, drawing inspiration from the national anthem, urged the Ijaw, Itsekiri, and Urhobo communities to see themselves as brothers and sisters despite their linguistic and cultural differences. He called for accommodation and compromise among all stakeholders to achieve sustainable peace in the Warri Federal Constituency.
Regarding the Supreme Court-ordered delineation report presented by INEC on May 20, 2026, President Tinubu noted that his consultations with the Delta State Governor and other agencies indicated that the problem lay in the composition of electoral wards in Warri South West Local Government Area. He proposed a re-adjustment of the INEC report to allocate 11 electoral wards to the Ijaw and 9 to the Itsekiri in that area.
Power-Sharing MOU Directive
The President also directed the creation of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on power sharing and rotation in the Warri Federal Constituency. The National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, along with two representatives each from the Ijaw, Itsekiri, and Urhobo groups, were tasked with drafting the MOU. The representatives accepted the directive and promised to work with the NSA.
On June 12, 2026, the representatives met with Ribadu at the NSA Conference Room in Abuja to draft and sign the MOU. The Ijaw were represented by Dcn. Kingsley Otuaro and Dr. Eric K. Omare; the Itsekiri by A. S. Mene and Chief Robinson Ariyo; and the Urhobo by Olorogun Victor Okumagba and Chief Westham Adehor.
Disagreement Over Scope
The Ijaw and Urhobo proposed that the MOU cover the rotation of House of Representatives seats for Warri Federal Constituency 1 and Warri Federal Constituency 11, as well as the chairmanship of Warri North, Warri South West, and Warri South Local Government Areas, and commissioner appointments. However, the Itsekiri delegation opposed the inclusion of Warri Federal Constituency 1, the chairmanship of the three local government areas, and commissioner appointments, arguing that the Presidential Directive only applied to Warri Federal Constituency 11 and that other matters fell under the constitutional authority of the Delta State Government.
The Ijaw and Urhobo leaders described the Itsekiri's opposition as a deliberate attempt to truncate the Presidential intervention and prevent the signing of the MOU. They stated, "The conduct of the Itsekiri delegation was a complete disrespect to the Person and Office of the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, who called for holistic power sharing in the Warri Federal Constituency without exceptions for sustainable peace."
Reluctant Acceptance
On the advice of the NSA and as a mark of respect for President Tinubu, the Ijaw and Urhobo agreed to enter into the MOU limited to Warri Federal Constituency 11 to allow the completion of the Supreme Court-ordered delineation process ahead of the 2027 general elections. They reluctantly accepted the President's intervention regarding the alteration of electoral wards in Warri South West but warned that they would not accept any further changes to the INEC delineation report presented on May 20, 2026. They demanded that INEC upload the report without delay and commence special voter registration for the newly created wards.
The leaders emphasized that any further delay or alteration would amount to a betrayal of trust by the Federal Government and INEC, warning that they should not be blamed for the likely consequences. The statement was signed by Chief Godspower Gbenekama, Olorogun Victor Okumaga, Chief Denbo-Denbofa Owikporodo, Chief John Eranvo, Chief Arthur Akpodubakaye, David Reje, and Samuel Ako.
