Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Pandemonium broke out on Monday at the National Headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja when thugs, allegedly hired by yet‑to‑be‑identified persons, attacked members of the Ugbarajo Itsekiri Youths who were protesting against the delineation of the Warri Federal Constituency in Delta State. Numbering about 200, the protesters had gathered peacefully at the commission’s headquarters, carrying placards with inscriptions such as ‘INEC must protect indigenous communities’, ‘Warri Federal Constituency is not for sale’, ‘Justice for Itsekiri Communities Now’ and ‘Dollars Cannot Buy Our Land’. They were demanding what they described as fairness and justice in the ongoing review of constituency boundaries in Warri, an area historically plagued by disputes among ethnic groups over political representation.
But as the protest continued, a group of thugs suddenly swooped on the demonstrators, wielding sticks and destroying their placards. The unexpected attack threw the premises into chaos, sending journalists and officials, including a visibly frightened INEC National Commissioner, Prof. Abdullahi Zuru, scampering for safety. Zuru, who had initially taken cover, later returned to address the protesters, assuring them that the matter surrounding the Warri constituency delineation had already been escalated to the Office of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, for further review. The protest, which marked the third demonstration by the Itsekiri people at INEC’s headquarters this year, underscored the deep-seated ethnic tensions fuelled by the redistribution of polling units and the creation of new wards in the Warri Federal Constituency.
The Ugbarajo Itsekiri Youths have consistently rejected INEC’s delineation proposals, alleging that the process has been skewed against their ethnic group. According to the group, INEC’s fresh proposals presented to stakeholders in Asaba on May 20 are a continuation of what they describe as “illegalities and fraudulent practices”. They have accused the commission of violating its own guidelines, which prescribe a minimum of 750 voters for the creation of a new polling unit and a minimum of 50 polling units in a ward before a new ward can be created. The Itsekiri youth body insisted that several Itsekiri communities, including Ubeji, Egbokodo, Ifiekporo, Omadino and Obodo in Warri South Local Government Area, ought to have independent wards because they meet INEC’s requirements, but the commission had deliberately failed to create them.
In the wake of the attack, the Legal Adviser of Itsekiri Youths Worldwide, Solomon Ogholaja; the National Secretary, Laura Oritseweyinmi; and the Secretary‑General, Jakpah Jolomi, condemned the violence and vowed to lay down their lives to secure justice from INEC and the Federal Government. While members of the Ijaw and Urhobo ethnic nationalities have urged INEC to maintain the current arrangement, the Itsekiri people have continued to reject the exercise, insisting that it be reviewed to ensure fairness and equitable representation among all ethnic groups in the constituency. The controversy has been simmering since the beginning of the year, triggering protests both in support of and against the delineation exercise. As of the time of this report, INEC had not issued an official statement on the violent disruption of the protest, but the commission has previously confirmed that the matter is being looked into.
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