Itsekiri Leaders Disagree with INEC's New Boundary Plans for Warri

The Itsekiri Leaders of Thought, ILOT, has expressed strong objections to the newly proposed wards, polling units, and state constituencies put forth by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, for the Warri Federal Constituency, citing a flawed process that disregards the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Electoral Act 2026.

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According to ILOT Secretary, Sir Amorighoye Mene, the entire process, including fieldwork and GIS mapping conducted by INEC, is marred by irregularities and does not align with INEC's own guidelines for delineation, prompting the Itsekiri to reject the proposed changes outright.

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The rejected proposal, announced on May 20 in Asaba, Delta State, includes the creation of two additional state constituencies and one federal constituency, but ILOT argues that the details and composition are based on previously discredited data released by INEC on April 4, 2025.

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ILOT's stance is grounded in its conviction that the exercise fails to comply with the 1999 Constitution, the Electoral Act 2026, and INEC's guidelines, despite the Supreme Court's judgment in Suit No. SC/143/2016, which directed INEC to conduct a fresh delineation exercise in Warri South, Warri South-West, and Warri North Local Government Areas.

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The Supreme Court's judgment, however, did not declare the existing wards, polling units, or voter register as fake or fictitious, a crucial distinction that ILOT emphasizes in its rejection of the proposed changes.

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ILOT is concerned that INEC has overstepped its constitutional mandate by engaging in activities beyond its electoral responsibilities, such as identifying and recognizing communities, interpreting demographics, and classifying territories, which are not within its administrative or electoral purview.

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The organization maintains that INEC's role is strictly administrative and electoral, and not ethnographic or territorial, and therefore rejects any reliance on unofficial population estimates, aerial mapping interpretations, or artificially created community structures as the basis for electoral delineation.

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ILOT also disputes the notion that the Ijaw and Urhobo ethnic groups in Warri Federal Constituency have been denied political representation, pointing to the constituency's political history, which shows that both groups have held significant offices across Warri South, Warri South-West, and Warri North Local Government Areas.

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Furthermore, independent geographic information and survey experts have identified major inconsistencies in the proposed polling unit coordinates released by INEC, with some units allegedly located outside their designated local government areas or in non-habitable locations such as rivers, swamps, forests, Edo State, and Ondo State.

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These findings raise serious questions about the credibility, legality, and technical integrity of the exercise, prompting ILOT to call for a thorough investigation by the Federal Government and accountability for any officials who may have compromised the process.

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ILOT has submitted its formal objections to INEC and the Office of the National Security Adviser, and expects these concerns to be treated with the seriousness they deserve.

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The organization condemns any threats to peace, security, or national infrastructure in response to the proposed changes, and urges all stakeholders to engage in lawful, peaceful, and democratic dialogue while INEC concludes its consultations and reaches a final decision.

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ILOT remains committed to upholding fairness, constitutional order, justice, and the peaceful coexistence of all ethnic nationalities within the Warri Federal Constituency.