Protesters storm Delta State INEC office, threatening no 2027 election over disputed constituency report.
Pandemic chaos erupted on Wednesday at the Independent National Electoral Commission stakeholders meeting in Asaba, Delta State, when angry youths stormed the venue to protest the controversial delineation of wards in the Warri Federal Constituency.
The demonstrators, consisting mainly of Itsekiri and Urhobo, Agbarha-Warri youths, disrupted proceedings by chanting and displaying placards, forcing police and military personnel to intervene as attendees surged toward the venue entrance, according to information published by The Sun Nigeria.
This intense demonstration highlights deep ethnic tensions surrounding electoral boundaries in the region, threatening the peace of the upcoming general elections if authorities fail to resolve the contentious mapping report.
Supreme Court Judgment Sparks Crisis
The ongoing electoral crisis stems directly from a Supreme Court judgment delivered on December 2, 2022, in a legal battle involving Hon. George U. Timinimi and others against the electoral commission, which ordered a fresh delineation of wards in Warri North, Warri South, and Warri South-West.
Following field data collection between July 8 and July 20, 2024, the electoral body finally presented its official report on May 20, 2026, in Asaba, sparking immediate backlash from local community leaders.
Controversial Ward Distribution in Warri
The disputed report allocated 10 Itsekiri and 10 Ijaw wards in Warri North, alongside 13 Ijaw and 7 Itsekiri wards in Warri South-West, while Warri South received 9 Urhobo, 8 Itsekiri, and 3 Ijaw wards.
Protesters fiercely accused the electoral commission of creating ghost wards, including the Ewein wards, and carving three disputed zones out of ancestral Okere and Pessu lands, insisting that no aboriginal Ijaw community exists in the Warri South Local Government Area.
Threats Made Against 2027 General Elections
Demonstrators warned that if the electoral body insists on utilizing the disputed report uploaded on its portal for the 2027 general elections, there will be no voting in the entire Warri Federal Constituency.
Itsekiri leader Chief Ayirimi Emami previously accused electoral commission chairman Prof. Joash Amupitan of flouting intervention directives issued by President Bola Tinubu, though Ijaw stakeholders have welcomed the new ward allocation as long-awaited emancipation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did youths disrupt the INEC meeting in Asaba?
Angry Itsekiri and Urhobo youths disrupted the Independent National Electoral Commission meeting in Asaba to protest the controversial ward delineation report for the Warri Federal Constituency.
What is the Supreme Court connection to the Warri ward crisis?
The crisis originated from a Supreme Court judgment on December 2, 2022, which ordered a fresh delineation of wards and polling units across Warri North, Warri South, and Warri South-West.
What did the protesters threaten regarding the 2027 elections?
Protesters warned that if the electoral body insists on using the current disputed delineation report in 2027, there will be no elections held in the Warri Federal Constituency.
