Warri Delineation: Ijaw, Urhobo Leaders Reject Itsekiri Claims, Insist Ijaws Are Integral Part of Warri South LGA

By Joseph Bienbo, Warri

Leaders of the Ijaw and Urhobo ethnic nationalities in Warri have strongly rejected recent claims made by some Itsekiri and Agbarha Urhobo leaders concerning the Supreme Court-ordered delineation of the Warri Federal Constituency, insisting that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu never ordered any alteration to electoral ward names in Warri South Local Government Area and reaffirming that Ijaw communities have always been an integral part of the local government.

Addressing journalists in Warri on Wednesday, the Ijaw and Urhobo leaders described a joint statement issued on June 19, 2026, by some Itsekiri and Agbarha Urhobo leaders as misleading and riddled with distortions aimed at confusing the public on the composition of electoral wards and the historical status of the Ijaw people in Warri South LGA.

•Tinubu’s Intervention Misrepresented

The leaders clarified that President Tinubu’s intervention regarding the ward delineation exercise was specifically limited to issues in Warri South West Local Government Area and broader power-sharing arrangements among the Ijaw, Itsekiri and Urhobo ethnic groups across the three Warri local government areas.

According to them, the President did not direct the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to change the names or composition of registration areas and electoral wards in Warri South LGA.

They noted that the agreements reached by stakeholders following the presidential intervention had already been implemented by INEC through its final delineation report released on June 16, 2026, thereby bringing the Supreme Court-ordered exercise to a conclusion.

The leaders commended INEC for complying with both the Supreme Court judgment and the agreements reached among the ethnic nationalities.

•Itsekiri Delegation Accused of Frustrating Power-Sharing Talks

The Ijaw and Urhobo leaders, however, alleged that the implementation of the President’s directive on equitable power sharing in Warri South LGA was frustrated by the Itsekiri delegation during a mediation meeting held at the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) in Abuja on June 12, 2026.

They stated that contrary to claims in the June 19 statement, the Federal Government’s directive on power sharing covered all positions within the Warri Federal Constituency, including Warri Federal Constituency I, which covers Warri South LGA, and was not limited to the proposed Warri Federal Constituency II.

According to the leaders, this informed the nomination of Olorogun Victor Okumagba and Chief Westham Adehor by the Urhobo ethnic nationality to participate in the negotiations on power sharing in Warri South LGA.

They alleged that the Urhobo representatives were effectively shut out of the negotiation process by the Itsekiri delegation.

The leaders further criticised some members of Agbarha Kingdom for aligning with the Itsekiri position, accusing them of undermining Urhobo interests and aiding what they described as continued Itsekiri dominance in Warri South.

•Dissatisfaction Over Eight Wards Allocated to Itsekiris

The leaders also expressed dissatisfaction with the allocation of eight registration areas and electoral wards to the Itsekiri ethnic nationality in Warri South LGA, arguing that the allocation was disproportionate considering the Itsekiri population.

Nevertheless, they said they accepted the final delineation report out of respect for President Tinubu and urged the Itsekiri people to allow the matter to rest.

They accused the Itsekiri ethnic group of continuing to agitate despite what they described as favourable adjustments made to the final delineation report, alleging that the agitation demonstrated a persistent desire to dominate neighbouring ethnic groups and a history of rejecting official efforts aimed at resolving ethnic disputes in Warri.

•Ijaws Have Always Been Part of Warri South, Leaders Insist

The Ijaw and Urhobo leaders also rejected claims that there are no Ijaw communities in Warri South Local Government Area, describing the assertion as false and repeatedly disproved.

They recalled that the issue of Ijaw presence in Warri South was raised during stakeholder meetings convened by INEC in Asaba on March 21, 2024, and in Warri on July 8, 2024, ahead of the field delineation exercise.

According to the leaders, both meetings, which were attended by INEC National Commissioners and representatives of the three ethnic nationalities, concluded that available intelligence reports, physical settlements and existing polling units confirmed that the Ijaw people are an integral part of Warri South LGA.

They said it was on that basis that INEC assigned field officers to Ijaw communities, leading to the creation of the Ewein, Bulou-Ama (GRA II) and Ogbe-Ijoh Warri Urban electoral wards.

The leaders maintained that the communities covered by these newly created wards are indigenous Ijaw settlements and were not visited by field officers assigned to Itsekiri and Urhobo communities.

• Historical Records Support Ijaw Claims

The leaders argued that the Ijaws have historically and politically been part of Warri South LGA but were suppressed and denied adequate political representation for decades.

They cited the Western Region Laws of Nigeria No. 177 of 1955, which established the Warri Urban District Council and recognised four autonomous electoral wards for Ijaw communities in Warri Township, namely:

– Alders Town B3;
– Ogbe-Ijoh Ward C1;
– Ogbe-Ijoh Ward C2; and
– Government Area F1.

According to them, the 1963 National Census was conducted using this electoral arrangement and elected Ijaw councillors remained in office until the 1976 local government reforms.

They explained that subsequent electoral restructuring fragmented the previously homogeneous Ijaw wards into polling units under Pessu, GRA, Bowen and Okere wards, thereby reducing the Ijaws to minority status and excluding them from political representation.

The leaders said this marginalisation partly gave rise to the legal battle that eventually culminated in the Supreme Court judgment ordering a fresh delineation exercise.

They stressed that the recent creation of the Bulou-Ama (GRA II), Ewein and Ogbe-Ijoh Warri Urban wards merely corrected a longstanding injustice and did not introduce anything new.

•2003 Peace Process and CDC Laws Cited

The leaders also recalled that during the administration of former Governor James Ibori in 2003, stakeholders from the three ethnic groups agreed that the GRA Ward in Warri South LGA should belong to the Ijaws.

However, they alleged that the ward was later taken over by the Itsekiris under the administration of former Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan.

They further cited the Communities Development Committee (CDC) Law of 2005, which they said expressly recognised Ewein, Ogbe-Ijoh, Perebiri, Lotiebiri and Ikiandumu as Ijaw communities in Warri South LGA.

To further establish Ijaw participation in local governance, the leaders noted that Hon. Mrs. Saro Igangan was appointed twice as a member of the Agbarha CDC representing Ijaws in Warri South in 2005 and 2009 and had earlier served as Supervisory Councillor for Agriculture in the local government in 1998.

•Geographical and Legal Arguments

The leaders questioned the logic behind claims that Ewein Community is not part of Warri South LGA, noting that the community lies just across a canal of less than 20 metres from Warri Township.

They argued that if communities such as Ode-Itsekiri and Orugbo, which are located about five kilometres away from Warri Township, are recognised as part of Warri South LGA, then it is unreasonable to deny the status of Ewein and other Ijaw settlements.

They made similar references to the Itsekiri communities of Omadino, Obodo, Ubeji and Ugbokodo-Itsekiri, insisting that the argument against the Ijaw presence in Warri South lacks both legal and geographical merit.

The leaders also cited Gazette No. 1 of 1999 establishing the Traditional Rulers Council of Delta State, which recognised the Ijaw as one of the ethnic nationalities in Warri South LGA.

Additionally, they referenced a 1923 letter by Chief Dore Numa, the Warri Assessment Report of 1928, the Traditional Rulers Law of Delta State, the CDC Law of 2005 and the Western Region Law of 1955 as further evidence of the historical presence of Ijaws in Warri South.

According to them, various government agencies and security institutions had previously investigated petitions claiming there were no Ijaws in Warri South LGA and had consistently rejected such assertions.

•Call for Special Voter Registration

The Ijaw and Urhobo leaders called on the Federal Government and INEC to disregard what they described as the “ranting” of some Itsekiri and Agbarha Urhobo leaders and proceed with the implementation of the final delineation report ahead of the 2027 general elections.

They also appealed to INEC to conduct a special voter registration exercise across all newly created polling units and registration areas in the Warri Federal Constituency to enable previously disenfranchised residents to register and participate in future elections and facilitate voter transfers to the new wards.

The statement was jointly signed by Alaowei Denbo-Denbofa Oweikpodor, Olorogun Victor Okumagba, Chief Godspower Gbenekama, Chief John Eranvor, Chief Arthur Akpodubakaye, Chief Femi Okumagba, Chief David Reje and Pastor Samuel Ako on behalf of the Ijaw and Urhobo leaders of Warri.