By Emma Arubi
WARRI—THE Ijaws of Warri Federal Constituency of Delta State, yesterday, protested the absence of Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, officials, Direct Data Capture, DDC, machines and other voter registration materials and personnel, five days ater the exercise commenced nation wide, saying that any attempt to disenfranchise them this time around, will be resisted vehemently.

Addressing protesting Ijaw youths and elders from the Egbema/Gbaramatu axis of the riverine communities of Delta State, Chairman of the council, Chief Edmound Doyah-Tiemo, said their agitation was germane following the massive enlightenment campaign embarked upon by the council and the large turnout of disappointed eligible persons, who turned up for  the exercise that has failed to commence at press time.

Similarly, the Ijaws of Ogbe-Ijoh community in Warri South-West Local Government Area of the state, have expressed disappointment over INEC’s inability to commence the exercise, saying that the Ijaws of the Warri Federal constituency were prepared to perform their civic responsibility of registering to enable them cast their votes in the April general elections. They warned that nothing should be done to constitute hindrance on their way as the Warri crisis did not permit them to register in the last exercise.

Chairman of the Ogbe-Ijoh/Warri clan Governing Council, Elder Anthony Jolomi and secretary seneral, Mr Arex Akemotubo, in a statement, said that they were visibly worried that INEC was trying to prevent the Ijaw people from exercising their franchise, adding “we demand explaination from Prof. Jega on why the three Warri local government areas were  been prevented from partaking in this all important national assignment.”

Chief Doyah-Tiemo of the Egbema /Gbaramatu CDC and Akemotubo  appealed to INEC to ensure that all the lost days were made up for the people to ensure that they get the mandatory 14 days allotted for the voter registration exercise like all other Nigerians.

Vanguard gathered that the DDC machines that got to Delta State could not get to Warri, the commercial nerve centre of the state because it was distributed alphabetically and before it  got to Warri, it had finished and more DDC machines are still being awaited.