Youths under the auspices of Operation Rescue Ijaw Nation Crusaders (ORINC) staged a protest at the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday, threatening to stall the upcoming general election if the electoral umpire fails to implement the Supreme Court judgment mandating the delineation of wards and polling units in Warri Federal Constituency, Delta State.
Protesters Issue Strong Warning
The group warned that without the completion and implementation of the Supreme Court judgment, there will be no electoral activity in the constituency. They declared that any election or voter registration exercise conducted in defiance of the Supreme Court directive shall be null, void, and of no legal effect.
This marks the second time the group has protested at the INEC headquarters to press the same demand. The group cautioned that they would not want to return on the same issue, stating that if the Supreme Court judgment is not implemented before the 2027 general election, the electoral umpire will be held responsible for whatever happens.
Demand for Fair Representation
The Deputy Coordinator of ORINC, Comrade Freeborn Abraye, while addressing journalists during the protest, explained that Warri Federal Constituency comprises three major ethnic groups: the Ijaw, Urhobo, and Itsekiri. However, since 1999, the Itsekiri, despite being the minority, have dominated the political system.
He said, “We have been with that system for over two decades. We made a case against INEC, and the Supreme Court ordered INEC to carry out a delineation exercise, which INEC did. After the exercise, INEC refused to implement the report from that exercise. As we speak now, there is no political structure in Warri Federal Constituency. We all need fair representation. Without a political structure, we cannot have representation.”
Letter to INEC Chairman
In a letter submitted to the INEC Chairman and signed by its Coordinator, Comrade Awipi Lawson, the group stated: “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).”
The letter noted that the Supreme Court directed 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 held that no election or electoral activity shall take place within the constituency until the delineation exercise is duly completed and implemented.
Concerns Over Delay
The group stated that although INEC has carried out the delineation exercise, it has yet to release the final fieldwork report and operationalize it. They warned that the delay may undermine the Supreme Court judgment, the integrity of future elections, and disenfranchise the entire people of Warri Federal Constituency in the 2027 general elections.
The group called on INEC to immediately release the final fieldwork report, fully implement the Supreme Court judgment by completing, gazetting, and operationalizing the lawful delineation before any further electoral activity, and suspend and cancel the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) and every other electoral activity in Warri Federal Constituency until the delineation exercise is fully implemented and certified.
Proposed Ward Configuration
The group emphasized that INEC’s actions must reflect the demographic composition as accurately recorded in its own fieldwork report and as proposed on April 4, 2025. The proposed configuration includes: Warri South LGA: Ijaw 14 wards, Itsekiri 5 wards; Warri South LGA: Ijaw 3 wards, Itsekiri 8 wards, Urhobo 9 wards; Warri North LGA: Ijaw 10 wards, Itsekiri 8 wards. According to the group, this proposal reflects the Ijaw ethnic group’s majority status in the Warri Federal Constituency. 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 a political crisis.
INEC Response
The Assistant Director of Security, Mohamed Ahmad, while receiving the letter on behalf of the commission, said the INEC Chairman and commissioners are available. He assured the protesters that the letter would be delivered to the INEC Chairman upon his return.
