Sylvester Idowu in Warri

A former member of the House of Representatives for Warri federal constituency, Hon. Temi Harriman, has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to adhere strictly to the law establishing it and discharge its duties with integrity.

She gave the charge last weekend during a public presentation of a book titled: ‘INEC Corrupt Practices: The Siamese Twins and Warri Federal Constituency’, co-authored by the Egogo of Warri Kingdom, Chief Robinson Ariyo, and Jolone Ikomi, both wof ho are lawyers.

Harriman stressed during the book launch that only strict compliance with the law can resolve the controversies trailing INEC’s recent ward and polling unit re-delineation.

According to him, “We are not merely talking about the immediate judgment,” she said, noting that: “INEC has been told to revisit this matter because the genesis of the problem must be addressed systematically, from the ground up. Respecting the law is the only way to sustain peace. Nigeria is not a jungle.”

Describing the book as a masterpiece and a must-read for all stakeholders, the ex-lawmaker recalled how her father, late Chief Ogedegbe Harriman, gave her a copy of the Willinks Report as a teenager, an encounter that deepened her understanding of the fears of Nigeria’s micro-minorities.

She insisted that for the country to function effectively, institutions such as INEC and the judiciary must operate with credibility and integrity.

Harriman urged INEC to shun what she described as “face-saving” and instead seize the opportunity to correct past missteps.

The former House of Representatives member commended the Warri Reclamation Thrust for its consistent advocacy, describing its efforts as “a job well done.”

The co-author of the book, Chief Robinson Ariyo, a lawyer, development expert, and spokesperson (Egogo) of Warri Kingdom, anchored his position on several court judgments surrounding the dispute.

He expressed appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for keeping the issue under consideration, noting that although the president inherited the problem, he has demonstrated awareness of the agitation, particularly from the Itsekiri.

Ariyo traced the controversy to 1997, when an interlocutory order restrained INEC from creating 12 new wards in Warri South Local Government Area, an order the commission allegedly ignored.

He argued that the book exposes what he described as INEC’s “complacency,” which, he alleged ,,may have been influenced by inducement from vested interests.

Also speaking, the co-convener of the Warri Reclamation Trust, Bright Omaghomi, lamented that among the ethnic nationalities in Delta South, only the Itsekiri are without a senator representing them.

With just one representative in the legislature, he argued that meaningful progress on legislative issues had become almost impossible..

The event, which took place at the Imperial Banquet Hall of The Lilygate Hotel, Lekki, Lagos, a a drew distinguished audience comprising academics, legal luminaries, political figures, law students, and other stakeholders in Nigeria’s electoral process.

PANDEF representatives, civil society organisations,, and civil society actors were equally present.

Among dignitaries at the event were Gabriel Arubi, Chief Wilbert Benson, and Dr. Misan Afinotan.

However, the event was not without drama, as some INEC officials reportedly walked out at the height of allegations levelled against the commission.

The Warri federal constituency, comprising the Ijaw, Itsekiri, and Urhobo ethnic groups, has long been embroiled in a supremacy struggle, exacerbated by the disputed ward and polling unit delineation recently undertaken by INEC.

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