Protests over proposed re-delineation Ward by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) across multiple communities escalated yesterday in Warri, Delta State.
The protesters urged INEC to pull the brake on its proposal in the interest of equity and justice.
The wave of protests by aggrieved Itsekiri indigenes culminated in the shutdown of a major oil facility in Ugborodo, Warri South-West Local Government Area of the state.
The 28,000 barrels-per-day (bpd) oil installation, formerly operated by Shell Petroleum Development Company and now managed by Renaissance Africa Energy Holdings was shut down by the protesters.
Villagers, bearing placards with various inscriptions from Ugborodo community, comprising men, women and youths, assembled at the entrance of the facility. They denounced an alleged “ethnic cleansing” agenda by the re-delineation proposal of the electoral umpire.
“This is an attempt to annihilate the Itsekiri people in their homeland,” a protester declared, accusing INEC of yielding to certain forces to short-change the ethnic group.
The protesters from Warri South, Warri South-West, and Warri North Local Government Areas alleged that the re-delineation proposal undermines their demographic and political realities.
Leaders of the Okere-Urhobo Kingdom in Warri South raised strong objections to the INEC proposal, claiming it grossly underrepresents their population and political weight.
“We have the population, we have the voters’ strength”, Matthew Poko Opuoru, a former member of the Delta State House of Assembly and Special Adviser to the Governor on the Environment, said.
“Okere-Urhobo Kingdom is the most populated area in Warri South. Our boundaries go beyond imagination. We deserve at least four wards,” Opuoru added.
He emphasized that their protest was not against other ethnic groups – Itsekiri, Ijaw or Agbarha-Warri – but rather a call for equity and proper recognition based on population data.
Echoing his sentiment, Chief Jude Onovughe Igerebou, a former leader of the Warri South Legislative Arm, said: “We reject the ward delineation done by INEC in Warri South. Our communities were not properly captured and there were too many abnormalities.”
Chief Venture Daniels Evwherhamre, a member of the Delta State Public Procurement Board, faulted INEC for allocating only one ward to the Okere-Urhobo people despite their proposal for six.
He said: “It is not acceptable. We are asking the authorities to go back and look into our proposal. We deserve better.”
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Ambassador Duke Ufuoma Barho said: “We have the boundaries, the numbers and the documentation. INEC came and brought out what we didn’t propose. We are appealing to INEC to revisit our submission.”
Ambassador Duke Ufuoma Barho also joined the call for a review, highlighting that the community has the necessary demographics and documentation to support their claims.
“INEC disregarded our original proposal, and we appeal for them to revisit our submission,” he said.
As the Itsekiri and Okere-Urhobo communities escalate their calls for the reversal of the ward delineation plan, protesters are urging the Federal Government to intervene with INEC to ensure a transparent and equitable delineation process free from ethnic bias.
However, residents of the Okere-Urhobo community in Warri have responded to those opposing the ward delimitation proposal.
During a press conference held at the palace of the Orosuen of Okere-Urhobo Kingdom, Owhotemu II, Chief John Edger, the Uloho of Okere-Urhobo, indicated that the community is still “studying” the INEC proposal.
He emphasized that the community would formulate its observations and take a definitive stance at the appropriate time, warning against any attempts to exploit the situation for political gain.
“The purpose of this conference is to support those who worked to make the Supreme Court judgment a reality,” Edger stated to reporters.
He acknowledged that INEC had distributed documents to various ethnic groups during a stakeholders’ conference on April 4th, confirming that they had received the materials and are still reviewing them.
He assured that directives on how to respond will be issued at the right moment.
Accompanying Edger at the press conference were Chiefs Femi Okumagba, Frank Okolobe, and Lawrence Akpoveso.
