Uneasy over suspension of Warri Delineation Exercise

By Joseph Bienbo

Following the alleged Suspension of Warri Federal Constituency delineation exercise by the Independent National Electoral Commission on Sunday September 28, critical stakeholders and leaders of Ijaw and Urhobo extractions have criticised the INEC decision, describing it as provocative and could incite tension in Warri.

Congress News gathered that the suspension came just weeks after a peaceful protest by members of the Urhobo and Ijaw communities from Warri North, Warri South, and Warri South West Local Government Areas in the INEC headquarters in Abuja.

It was learnt the protesters gathered at INEC’s headquarters in Abuja on September 9 to demand immediate implementation of a 2022 Supreme Court judgment mandating a fresh delineation of electoral wards in the constituency.

While protesting, angry community representatives submitted a petition addressed to INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, warning that the ongoing voter registration exercise without implementing the court-ordered delineation was unconstitutional.

“We can no longer wait while our democratic rights, guaranteed by the constitution and reaffirmed by the Supreme Court judgment, are being eroded.

“INEC should immediately release and implement the report painstakingly embarked upon by stakeholders. We shall not idly stand by and watch our democratic rights and franchise fretted away,” the petition read.

The Supreme Court, in its judgment delivered on December 2, 2022, declared the current delineation in Warri was outdated and unrepresentative of the constituency’s population.

It directed INEC to carry out a comprehensive re-delineation.

However, following the Supreme Court Order, INEC initiated consultations in early 2023, with fieldwork concluding in July 2024.

A draft report was presented to stakeholders at a public forum in Warri on April 4, 2025.