Delineation Brouhaha: UIY accuses INEC of contravening its guidelines, disregarding concerns raised in the first proposal

The Ugbarajo Itsekiri Youths, UIY, has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, of contravening its own guidelines in the second proposal for the creation of new constituencies, wards and units in Warri Federal Constituency, saying the Commission breached the parameters of minimum of 750 voters for a new unit to be created, minimum of 50 units in a ward for a new ward to be created, 500 meters distance between every ward in urban areas, 1000 meters distance for wards in riverine areas and the use of population to determine voters registration.

The Itsekiri Youth body, insisted that it is practically impossible for INEC to create more Wards for the Ijaws in Warri South-West Local Government Area, over perceived failure of the Ijaw areas to meet the aforesaid guidelines, noting that Ugborodo and Orere Wards meet the requirement for the creation of new Wards “as Ugborodo and Orere have more than 50 polling units each.”

According to the UIY leadership, Itsekiri communities like Ubeji, Egbokodo, Aja- Etan, Ifiekporo, Omadino, Obodo, Orugbo, Ugbuwangue, Ekurede Itsekiri and Ode- Itsekiri, in Warri South Local Government Area, ought to have their independent wards, “because they meet the INEC requirements. INEC deliberate failure to create more Wards for these communities, is absurd and fraudulent. More 5 Wards can conveniently be created out of these Communities, yet INEC failed to do the needful.”

The group added: “Itsekiri Communities like Aja Ometan, Tisun, Kolokolo and Ughotosan in Warri North Local Government Area, are too large to be clustered into one Ward. These Communities are qualified to be given their own independent wards, yet INEC deliberately refused to do the needful.”

Addressing newsmen in Warri, Delta State, Saturday May 23, on behalf of the President of Ugbarajo Itsekiri Youths, Comr. Joseph Okotie, Legal Adviser of UIY, Onesiosan S. Ogholaja Esq., posited that the INEC fresh proposals on the delineation exercise in the Warri Federal Constituency, which was presented to stakeholders at Asaba, Wednesday May 20, “is a continuation of the illegalities and fraudulent practices that the Itsekiri Nation have complained about.”

He stressed: “The Itsekiri Nation and other stakeholders of other ethnic extraction fought the delineation Reports-  Despite submitting Petitions, Historical records, Maps, Treaties and Court Cases, INEC proceeded without resolving those concerns that the Itsekiri Stakeholders raised concerning the old proposal, instead INEC issued a fresh Proposal that contains the fraud and irregularities that were earlier complained about.

“We vehemently submit that the Itsekiri Nation wash her hands off the recycled anomalies that INEC have repackaged in the form of a fresh proposal. We ebulliently reject INEC’S grotesque misalliance that they term fresh Proposal, because it is heavily clothed with irregularities, fraudulent practices and sky reaching corruption.”

Whilst recalling: “In the year 2003, the Federal High Court in suit no. FHC/B/109/97 between Dr. Joseph Otumara &8 ors vs. INEC ordered the use of 10 Wards in Warri South Local Government and declared the 12 Wards structure illegal.

“Instead of obeying the judgement of the Federal High Court, in  2011, INEC wickedly hatched and sustained one of the biggest legal scams in human history, when it conspired with the Ijaws to secretly institute an action against itself (INEC) over the same subject matter, which the Federal High Court have already decided in favour of the Itsekiris as per the 10 Wards Structure, The Itsekiri youth leadership, asserted: “INEC creation of the Ijaw Wards of Bolouma,  Ogbe- Ijoh Urban and Ewein in Warri South Local Government Area is illegal and contemptuous. There are no names like Bolouma, Ogbe- Ijoh Urban  and Ewein Communities in Warri South Local Government Area. The Court in suit No. W/148/56 between Chief Izoukumo Olioki & 5 Ors( for themselves and on behalf of the Ogbe-Ijoh People Vs. Itsekiri Communal Land Trustees and Chief Sam Warri Esi (for himself and on behalf of the Agbassa and the Igbudu People) and in a plethora of other cases held that the   Ijaws have no legal rights in Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State. What is the legal foundation upon which INEC relied on to create Bolouma and Ewein polling units in Warri South?

“Okere Community now captured as an Urhobo Community, GRA, Pessu and Old Ports now classified as Ijaw wards. Mission Road, Robert Road, Bowen and parts of Alder’s Town now converted to Agbassa wards. Kantu is an Itsekiri Community in Warri South-West, yet it was wrongly converted to an Ijaw Community. Itsekiri Communities like Odion, was renamed as Esi, and Okereghigho as Okerenkoko.”

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