2023: INEC gets 7-day ultimatum to commence fresh delineation for 3 Warri LGAs

Following the supreme court judgement compelling the Independent Electoral Commission, INEC to conduct fresh delineation exercise in the Warri three Local Government Areas of Delta state, residents of Warri under the auspices of
WARRI IJAW ADVOCATE GROUP has issued a seven days ultimatum to the commission to commence the delineation exercise before the 2023 general elections for the purpose of peace.The group, in a statement by its National president CHIEF MONDAY KEME and national Secretary HON. MICHEAL OWEIKPODOR said they had uncovered an attempt by INEC to flaunt the supreme court ruling, compelling the commission to conduct fresh delineation exercise in Warri Three Local Government Areas of Delta state.

The group, in its statement vowed to resist any attempt by INEC to flaunt the supreme court order, adding that INEC failure to comply may spike another tension in Warri and its environs.The statement reads partly,

“Our attention has been drawn to the Supreme Court Judgment of 02/12/2022; between Hon. George U. Timinimi and 9 Ors Vs Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), wherein the Court ordered that your Commission, its agents, privies and assigns to conduct a fresh delineation of all that electoral Wards/Polling Units for Warri South West, Warri North and Warri South Local Government Area of Warri Federal constituency in Delta state for the purpose of future elections.

“As an advocacy group of Ijaw extraction in the Warri Federal Constituency in Delta State, our motto include advocacy for justice, peace and security in Warri and its environs. That been said, our attention has been drawn to reports from alleged stakeholders meeting held on Wednesday, February 1, 2023 at Asaba Delta State that your Commission has no intention of complying with the order of the Supreme Court in the said judgment above as a result of the closeness to the next general election.

“We want to warn that, if there is any vestige of truth in the purported media reports above, your Commission should desist from it, and immediately as a matter of priority and urgency give to fruition the orders of the Supreme Court above. For anything short of full compliance would not be tolerated by the Warri Federal constituency in Delta State as a whole.

“By a way of accentuation Sir, the said judgment of the Supreme Court is clear and unambiguous. The said judgment ordered that delineation of Wards/Polling Units should be done for the purpose of future elections and the February and March 2023 elections respectively are future elections. Proper delineation of Wards/Polling Units in Warri Federal Constituency in Delta State will not take the Commission more than three (3) days to complete if truly, your Commission is sincere. That to disregard the judgment of Court is not only contempt of Court but would be resisted by the Ijaws of Warri Federal Constituency as a whole.

“By this missive, your Commission has seven (7) days of receipt of same to immediately comply with the order of the Supreme Court by delineating the Wards/Polling Units in Warri Federal Constituency before the upcoming general elections”,they added.