The apex sociocultural organisation in the Izon Nation, the Ijaw National Congress (INC) Global, has commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for denying reports of suspension of the Supreme Court-ordered delineation of wards in the Warri Federal Constituency, while it condemns the electoral body's insistence to continue with the ongoing Continuous Voters' Registration (CVR) exercise in the Constituency.

Stating its position on INEC's CVR, the INC President, Prof. Benjamin Okaba, stated that the Supreme Court in its judgement had abolished all existing wards, describing its decision to go ahead "amounts to an attempt by the INEC to build a structure in the air."

Prof. Okaba said, "The Ijaw National Congress (INC) received great relief, the news of INEC official denial of an earlier report that sparked utter dismay and profound indignation, credited to INEC issuing a directive of the Federal Government, through the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA), which porportedly suspended the Supreme Court-ordered delineation of wards in the Warri Federal Constituency.

"While we commend the INEC leadership for their swift reaction to an unpalatable news that had already fuelled discontent, we at the Ijaw National Congress condemn the insistence of the INEC to continue with the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration exercise in a constituency that the Supreme Court judgement has abolished all existing Wards. It amounts to an attempt by the INEC to build a structure in the air. 

"If we must ask, what is the driving force? Is there going to be an off-season election in the constituency this year? Even if there are, the Supreme Court was very unequivocal; FUTURE ELECTORAL ACTIVITIES MUST NOT BE CARRIED OUT UNTIL THE REDELINEATION EXERCISE IS COMPLETED. How difficult is that to understand? Let us be clear that ongoing CVR exercise in Warri Federal Constituency is unconstitutional, illegal, and a politically-motivated assault on the sanctity of our judiciary and the rights of the Ijaw people to equitable representation.

"For the record, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was not undertaking a voluntary exercise and hence, must act in total compliance with the landmark judgment of the Supreme Court of Nigeria delivered on December 2, 2022. The CVR exercise is a rape on the ongoing fresh delineation process, in all terms and pretexts, and is nothing short of a subversion of the Rule of Law itself. It is a dangerous precedent that signals to the nation that court orders can be trifled with or partially obeyed when they do not serve the political interests of the powerful," he added.

According to the INC President, INEC's decision to go ahead with the CVR in the Warri Federal Constituency has legal implications which include contempt of the Supreme Court which will erode INEC's Independence and lead to the violation of voters' right by INEC "using the old, flawed, discredited, and disbanded units and ward structure is fraudulent, as it amounts to registering new voters into an unconstitutional framework, thereby perpetuating the very injustice the Supreme Court already corrected."

The Ijaw national body warned that INEC's position to go on with the CVR "is not a solution for peace, but an invitation to lasting and persistent conflict in Warri" and "a blatant act of capitulation of those who seek to perpetuate a system of demographic dominance over the Ijaw people," stressing further that the Ijaws of Warri will "not accept this injustice or further procrastination of INEC in concluding the delineation, a situation that has led to the loss of life in Iyara area of Warri already."

The INC therefore demanded from INEC "the immediate completion of the fresh units and ward delineation process by INEC, in strict compliance with the Supreme Court order. Any further delay is unacceptable" while it called "on the following stakeholders to take appropriate actions to forestall further attacks by the Itsekiris on Ijaws and Urhobos:

"The Presidency to immediately prompt INEC to announce the results of their conpleted job and uphold the integrity of the Nigerian judiciary; The National Assembly to invoke its constitutional powers to summon the NSA and the INEC Chairman to explain their decision to continue registering voters in blatant subversion of a Supreme Court order; The International Community to prevail on the Federal Government and INEC in order to abort their ill-motivated disregard for the Rule of Law and its implications for our democracy."

The INC appealed to the Ijaws to remain calm, but vigilant, and assured that "We are on the right side of the law and history. We shall explore and further deploy every legal, political, and diplomatic means available, to ensure that justice is not only served but is seen to be served.

"The Supreme Court has spoken and clearly so; 'there are NO electoral units and wards in Warri Federal Constituency of Delta State until the results of the concluded fresh delineation exercise are announced.' Let the will of the highest court in the land be done."

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