Itsekiri youths protest INEC’s ward delineation in Delta
Youths from the Ugborodo community in Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State staged a peaceful protest on Wednesday at the Ogidigben Flow Station, a key oil facility processing 28,000 barrels of crude oil per day. The protest was in response to the proposed ward delineation for the Warri federal constituency by the Independent […]
Youths from the Ugborodo community in Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State staged a peaceful protest on Wednesday at the Ogidigben Flow Station, a key oil facility processing 28,000 barrels of crude oil per day.
The protest was in response to the proposed ward delineation for the Warri federal constituency by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which the youths claim threatens the political identity of the Itsekiri ethnic group.
Ward delineation involves dividing geographical areas into constituencies or polling units to ensure equitable representation and effective electoral management.
INEC recently released its proposed ward and polling unit adjustments, following a Supreme Court judgment.
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However, the Ugborodo protesters rejected the proposed arrangement, calling it a deliberate attempt to marginalise the Itsekiri people.
They urged the federal government to either reverse the delineation or initiate a transparent and inclusive process.
Speaking on behalf of the protesters, former Deputy Leader of the Warri South-West Legislative Arm, Raymond Pira, described INEC’s plan as unjust and disenfranchising.
He also accused the National Boundary Commission and successive Delta State administrations of systematically excluding coastal Itsekiri communities from vital federal opportunities by removing them from strategic zones.
He cited the example of Borodo, an Itsekiri coastal area excluded from the 500-meter Atlantic coastal buffer zone, while Oporoza – an inland community with no coastal access – was included.
According to the protesters, the new ward structure disproportionately benefits Ijaw communities by inflating their ward count and reducing that of the Itsekiri, despite disparities in population and voter registration.
He warned that if the federal government does not intervene, oil and development facilities in their communities may no longer be secure.
“We protected these installations during past crises, but this is our line in the sand. We won’t vandalize anything but we’re ready to escalate, if necessary,” he said.
Victor Laju Udenju, National Vice Chairman of the Ogborodo community, also said the current delineation threatens to politically erase the Itsekiri in Delta State.
“If this stands, we risk total exclusion,” he said.