Itsekiri group rejects INEC’s fresh ward, polling unit proposal

Ugbarajo Itsekiri Youths, UIY, has faulted the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, over what it described as a violation of its own guidelines in the second proposal for the creation of new constituencies, wards and polling units in the Warri Federal Constituency.

The youths alleged that INEC breached its guidelines, which prescribe a minimum of 750 voters for the creation of a new polling unit, a minimum of 50 polling units in a ward before a new ward can be created, a distance of 500 metres between wards in urban areas, 1,000 metres between wards in riverine areas and the use of population figures in determining voter registration.

The Itsekiri youth body said it was impossible for INEC to create more wards for the Ijaw in Warri South-West Local Government Area due to the perceived failure of the Ijaw areas to meet the stated guidelines.

According to the UIY leadership, Itsekiri communities such as Ubeji, Egbokodo, Aja-Etan, Ifiekporo, Omadino, Obodo, Orugbo, Ugbuwangue, Ekurede Itsekiri, and Ode-Itsekiri in Warri South Local Government Area ought to have independent wards “because they meet the INEC requirements. INEC’s deliberate failure to create more wards for these communities is absurd and fraudulent. Five more wards can conveniently be created from these communities, yet INEC failed to do the needful.

“Itsekiri communities such as Aja-Ometan, Tisun, Kolokolo, and Ughotosan in Warri North Local Government Area are too large to be clustered into one ward. These communities qualify to have their own independent wards, yet INEC deliberately refused to do the needful.”

Addressing newsmen in Warri, Delta State, President of UIY, Joseph Okotie, represented by the Legal Adviser of UIY, Onesiosan Ogholaja, noted that INEC’s fresh proposals on the delineation exercise in the Warri Federal Constituency, presented to stakeholders in Asaba on Wednesday, May 20, “are a continuation of the illegalities and fraudulent practices that the Itsekiri Nation has complained about.

“The Itsekiri Nation and stakeholders from other ethnic groups challenged the delineation reports. Despite submitting petitions, historical records, maps, treaties, and court judgments, INEC proceeded without resolving the concerns raised by Itsekiri stakeholders regarding the previous proposal. Instead, INEC issued a fresh proposal that still contains the fraud and irregularities earlier complained about.

“We vehemently state that the Itsekiri Nation washes its hands of the recycled anomalies that INEC has repackaged as a fresh proposal. We strongly reject INEC’s grotesque misrepresentation, which it terms a fresh proposal, because it is heavily tainted by irregularities, fraudulent practices, and glaring corruption.

“In 2003, the Federal High Court, in Suit No. FHC/B/109/97 between Dr Joseph Otumara & 8 Ors vs INEC, ordered the use of 10 wards in Warri South Local Government Area and declared the 12-ward structure illegal.

“Instead of obeying the judgment of the Federal High Court, INEC in 2011 allegedly collaborated with the Ijaw to secretly institute an action against itself over the same subject matter, which the Federal High Court had already decided in favour of the Itsekiri under the 10-ward structure.

“INEC’s creation of the Ijaw wards of Bolouma, Ogbe-Ijoh Urban, and Ewein in Warri South Local Government Area is illegal and contemptuous. There are no communities known as Bolouma, Ogbe-Ijoh Urban, and Ewein in Warri South Local Government Area. The court, in Suit No. W/148/56 between Chief Izoukumo Olioki & 5 Ors (for themselves and on behalf of the Ogbe-Ijoh people) vs Itsekiri Communal Land Trustees and Chief Sam Warri Esi (for himself and on behalf of the Agbassa and Igbudu people), and in several other cases, held that the Ijaw have no legal rights in Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State. What legal foundation did INEC rely on to create Bolouma and Ewein polling units in Warri South?

“Okere Community is now captured as an Urhobo community, while GRA, Pessu, and Old Port are now classified as Ijaw wards. Mission Road, Robert Road, Bowen, and parts of Alder’s Town have now been converted to Agbassa wards. Kantu is an Itsekiri community in Warri South-West, yet it was wrongly converted to an Ijaw community. Itsekiri communities such as Odion were renamed Esi, while Okereghigho was renamed Okerenkoko.”

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