The Indigenous Urhobo and Ijaw Ethnic Nationalities in the Warri Federal Constituency of Delta State first convened for a world press conference on Monday, August 25, 2025, with a unilateral call on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to implement its released report from the conducted fresh re-delineation exercise in the Constituency. Nine months after, precisely on May 4, 2026, they once again converged in the same venue, the KFT Event Place, Ekpan, to re-echo the same unilateral call on INEC one last time, but with a unanimous declaration to ensure the 2027 elections do not hold in the Constituency.

It would be recalled that the Supreme Court on the December 2, 2022, in Appeal No.: S/413/2016: Hon. George Timinimi & 9 Ors v INEC, had ordered the INEC to carry out fresh delineation of electoral wards and units in Warri North, Warri South, and Warri South-West LGAs before the conduct of future elections.

The Warri Federal Constituency is inhabited by Urhobo, Ijaw and Itsekiri ethnic nationalities. While the three ethnic groups dwell in Warri South, however, the Ijaw and Itsekiri predominantly occupy Warri South-West and Warri North, with the Ijaw having the highest population according to figures from the 2006 Population Census.

According to Wikipedia, "Census data from Nigeria’s National Population Commission recorded the Ijaw population at 5.3 million in 1991, making up 5.9% of the country’s 88.9 million people at the time. By 2006, their population had grown to 8.42 million, representing around 6% of Nigeria’s 140.4 million people. As of 2024, Nigeria’s Ijaw population is estimated to be approximately 14.39 million, accounting for 6.1% of Nigeria’s 233.9 million people, placing them as the fourth largest ethnic group in Nigeria. The Ijaw people are the largest ethnic group in Nigeria's Niger Delta region..."

INEC, in its earlier released report on the outcome of the re-delineation exercise in obedience of the Supreme Court judgement, INEC declared that, in Warri North LGA, out of a total of 18 electoral wards, the Ijaw ethnic group accounts for 10, while the Itsekiri group holds 8. In Warri South-West LGA, which comprises 19 wards, the Ijaw dominates with 14 wards, compared to 5 wards attributed to the Itsekiri. While for Warri South LGA, which consists of 20 wards, the Ijaw occupies 3 wards, the Itsekiri 8 wards, and the Urhobo 9 wards.

The result has serious implications for who becomes the next LGA chairman, especially in Warri North, where the Itsekiri had been leading in all appointive and elective positions to the detriment of the Ijaw ethnic group. It is therefore not surprising that the Itsekiri ethnic nationality rejected the INEC report, while the Urhobo and Ijaw hailed the electoral body for demonstrating professionalism by capturing the reality on ground.

Though controversies continue to exist over the proposed 2025/2026 delineation, with some groups identifying alleged "fictitious" or improperly created wards, particularly in Warri South-West, designed to misrepresent population numbers, INEC had denied suspending the process and emphasizes that all parties are being consulted, with no final decision reached until the report is fully released.

However, the question that has been on the lips of stakeholders in the Warri Federal Constituency is: "When will the final report be fully released?" Also, the indigenous Urhobo and Ijaw ethnic nationalities are alleging interference from certain interests with influence to ensure the report is not released.

Their fears are not unconnected with the lack of implementation of previous reports or recommendations aimed at resolving the Warri territorial crises, such as the Justice Nnaemeka Agu Judicial Commission of Inquiry 1993, the Justice Alhassan Idoko Judicial Commission of Inquiry 1997, the Gen. Theophilus Danjuma Committee / Task Force 2003, the Prof. Chike Edozien, the Asagba of Asaba, headed Delta State Elders' Committee 2003; and the Chief James Ibori "Road Map to Peace" 1999.

The INEC report could be likened to a leaky roof, while the forthcoming 2027 general elections as an impending storm. The delay by INEC to release the final report of the re-delineation exercise, especially as the 2027 general elections dawn, is not a show of wisdom, but an act that will only fan the flames of political crisis in the area. The Federal Government and the INEC should therefore not postpone doomsday by refusing to attend to the crucial issue that is at stake now. An inhabitant with a leaky roof does not go to sleep when there is an impending storm unless he first chooses to fix the leaky roof.

THE AUTHOR: Abai Francis is the Brand Director of PENGlobal and Chief Executive of PENGlobal Associates Limited, writes from Warri in Delta State.

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