By Gabriel Ewepu

ABUJA – AHEAD of the 2027 general elections, Ijaw youths under the auspices of the Operation Rescue Ijaw Nation Crusaders, ORINC, Wednesday, warned the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, that failure to release and implement delineation report will worsen tension in Warri Federal Constituency.

They gave the warning during a peaceful protest at the INEC National Headquarters in Abuja, saying the delay might lead to disenfranchisement and other issues that may affect the 2027 general elections, especially, in the Niger Delta region.

According to leader of the protesters, Awipi Lawson, the delay is unacceptable and has thrown the people anxiety and loss of confidence in INEC’s silence.

Lawson also said the people, especially, the Ijaws and Urhobos, who feel slighted by the way they have been treated despite the appeals and letters done to INEC over the issue, and now with the 2027 general elections at the corner that some people want to contest and others who want to vote candidates of their choice.

He added that this delay might cause serious disaffection and frustration if INEC fill to urgently respond to their demand.

He said: “On the 4th day of April, 2025, INEC brought out their resolution promising that they will come back immediately to announce the final delineation result up till that time to this day nothing heard from INEC. We have sent messages, publications, and done everything a civil society should do. INEC’s silence is the reason why we are here.

“We don’t know if it is the powers that be that is holding them. We don’t even know where we stand as far as this issue is concerned because they promised that they are coming back immediately with the final delineation results. From that time till today, we have been pushing, but INEC has refused to announce the delineation results.

“That’s the reason we have come again in a peaceful manner for INEC implement the final delineation results immediately, because it is bringing tension in the Niger Delta region, because anything that affects Warri affects the Niger Delta region.”

He also stated that currently there is no ward in Warri Federal Constituency, hence, “every electoral activity that is going on in Warri ward is illegal, because there is no ward”, and added that, “People are doing voter registration, nothing of such is going on in Warri Federal Constituency.”

He said the people demand “INEC to implement this result immediately because if INEC don’t implement it that means we have been disenfranchised.”

Meanwhile, the Spokesperson, Operation Rescue Ijaw Nation Crusaders, Ellington Bakumor, said failure to implement the report is already affecting electoral processes in Warri South, Warri North and Warri South-West Local Government Areas of Delta State.

Bakumor recalled that INEC carried out the ward delineation exercise following a Supreme Court order, stressing that the process involved all ethnic groups in the area, including the Ijaw, Urhobo and Itsekiri communities.

“INEC went to the creeks, to the communities and carried out this exercise transparently, with representatives of all ethnic groups present. A clear report was produced, yet till today, nothing has been implemented”, he said.

According to him, the delay has raised suspicions of external interference and has continued to generate frustration among the people.

“We have come here several times peacefully, written letters and made publications, but nothing has changed. As 2027 approaches, we are worried that elections may not even hold in these areas if this issue is not resolved urgently”, Bakumor warned.

He also appealed to the INEC Chairman and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene, noting that unresolved grievances in Warri could escalate into wider tension in the Niger Delta.

“We support peace, we support this administration, and we do not want any crisis in the Niger Delta. But injustice, no matter how small it appears, can spiral into something bigger if ignored”, he added.

The Deputy Coordinator, ORINC, Freeborn Abraye, said the existing ward structure allegedly favours one ethnic group at the expense of the Ijaw and Urhobo communities.

Abraye also explained that the Supreme Court ordered the delineation exercise to correct long-standing imbalances in representation across the three local governments of Warri Federal Constituency.

“The old 10-ward structure was designed to favour one ethnic group in a constituency with three ethnic nationalities. The delineation exercise conducted by INEC corrected this anomaly, but the refusal to implement it is now creating fresh injustice”, he asserted.

He further stated that, “We are not asking INEC to support any ethnic group. We are only asking the Commission to stand on the side of the law and justice by implementing its own report.”

According to him, doing so would bring peace and prevent marginalisation ahead of the general elections.

The Secretary, Ijaw Youth Council, IYC, Abuja Chapter, Johnny Torudonkumor, called on INEC to adhere to the order of the Supreme Court as a law abiding and established government entity to obey and immediately release the report as demanded.

“The Supreme Court gave an order for INEC to go back, carry out the exercise and bring out the report, up till now, we have been waiting for that report to be presented to us. Nothing is coming out. If INEC is not hiding something, I see no reason why they are hiding that report”, Torudonkumor added.

Receiving the group’s protest letter, INEC Director of Security, Mrs Ndidi Okafor, assured the protesters that their concerns would be conveyed to the Commission’s leadership.

“The Commission is a constitutionally established body and will always act within the ambit of the law. Your grievances will be looked into.

“I want to thank you for acting within your constitutional rights and for the peaceful manner of this protest”, Okafor said.