Implement Now or Face Crisis”: Egbema Ijaw Tell INEC on Supreme Court Judgment for Warri Delineation

Group rejects claims on Edo/Ondo communities, alleges “third-party interference” delaying implementation ahead of 2027 polls

Leaders of the Ijaw people of Egbema Kingdom in Warri North Local Government Area have called on the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to immediately implement the final Supreme Court judgment on the fresh delineation of Warri Federal Constituency, warning that further delay “constitutes disobedience to the rule of law and amounts to a direct invitation to crisis.”

The demand was made Wednesday at a press conference in Polobubo, convened to state the kingdom’s position on INEC’s final report on the delineation of electoral wards, registration areas, polling units, and constituencies. 

While reading the statement, Amb. Jude E. Ukori, Chairman, Egbema Focal Committee on INEC Ward Delineation recalled that the exercise was conducted pursuant to the Supreme Court judgment in SC/413/2016: Hon. George U. Timinimi & Ors v. INEC.

Speaking further,  the Egbema leaders commended INEC for presenting the final report in Asaba on May 20, 2026, and for fieldwork that confirmed “gross demographic imbalance” in Warri North LGA.  

“The report confirms that the Ijaw people of Egbema constitute the majority population in Warri North LGA,” the group said. “While equitable representation would ordinarily support greater allocation of wards to the majority, we accept the final delineation report in good faith in the interest of peace, stability, and brotherhood among all ethnic groups.”

The group also debunked statements by the Itsekiri Leaders of Thought, including comments by Chief Robinson Ariyor and Mr. Lawrence Erewele on Arise Television’s Morning Show and a report in The Guardian of May 22, 2026.  

They described as “misleading, inflammatory, and without factual foundation” allegations that Ijaw communities in Edo and Ondo States were included in INEC’s delineation report.  

“Egbema Kingdom has boundary communities that appear on Google Maps as Edo or Ondo due to coordinate overlap, but they are Delta State communities within Warri Federal Constituency. No Ijaw communities outside the affected areas of Warri Federal Constituency were included in the delineation exercise,” they clarified.  

The kingdom hosts several multinational oil and gas firms, including Chevron Nigeria Limited, NEPL, Conoil Producing Ltd, Elcrest E&P Ltd, Sahara Energy Ltd, Enerog Energy Ltd, and Gwato Energy LLP.

The leaders expressed concern over multiple suits filed in different divisions of the Federal High Court to frustrate the judgment, noting that some had been dismissed with costs and described by courts as “abuse of judicial process.”  

They further alleged that INEC’s delay in implementing the full report was due to “third-party interference by the Presidency.”  

“We use this medium to inform the Presidency to stay clear of the matter and allow INEC, an independent body statutorily empowered by the Constitution, to finalize the order of the apex court before anarchy is let loose in Warri Federal Constituency,” the group said.

The leaders noted that since the creation of Warri North LGA, no Ijaw indigene had been elected to the Delta State House of Assembly due to historical ward arrangements that disadvantaged the Ijaw despite their numerical strength.  

With the fresh delineation, they said a candidate had already emerged for Warri North Constituency I ahead of the 2027 general elections, while implementation of the newly created Warri North Constituency II remained pending.  

They therefore urged INEC “as a matter of urgency and in view of timelines for party primaries” to upload the published delineation report to its official portal and notify political parties to conduct primaries for Warri North Constituency II in accordance with the Supreme Court judgment.

The group emphasized that the Ijaw people “cannot continue to be denied legitimate constitutional rights to fair political representation while vast oil and gas resources extracted daily from our communities contribute significantly to the nation’s economy.”  

“Justice, equity, and fairness demand that the rights of our people be fully respected and protected,” they added.

The leaders reiterated support for full implementation of the Supreme Court judgment and commended INEC’s progress so far. However, they maintained that any further delay in operationalizing the newly delineated constituencies “would be tantamount to disregard for the rule of law and could create avoidable tensions in Warri North LGA.”

They called on INEC and all stakeholders to act promptly and in strict compliance with the Constitution and the judgment of the Supreme Court.

The Signatories were: Barr. Tabuka Godwin, Secretary, Egbema Leaders of Thought, Amb. Jude E. Ukori, JP, Chairman, Egbema Focal Committee on INEC Ward Delineation, Chief David Reje, Rev. Clement Doyah-Tiemo, PhD, Secretary, Egbema Focal Committee on INEC Ward Delineation, Mr. Godwin Aghor, Chairman, Polobubo Community, Hon. Benedict Miyenbi, Mr. Moses Kaka, and Mr. Stephen Anuwo.