Hot SourceOmon-Julius Onabu in Asaba
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) at the weekend presented the report on the delineation of wards and polling units in Warri Federal Constituency in Delta State to the Ijaw, Itsekiri, and Urhobo ethnic nationalities.
The fresh ward and polling unit delineation fieldwork was prompted by the Supreme Court judgment of 2022, which had ordered INEC to conduct the exercise.
The report was presented to representatives of the ethnic groups by the INEC State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Sir Etekamba Udo Umoren, at the stakeholders meeting convened for the presentation of the report of the fieldwork towards the implementation of the aforementioned Supreme Court order, held in Asaba, the state capital.
Copies of the delineation report were received by Chief Victor Okumagba, Dr. Andrew Igban, and Dr Joe Bisina on behalf of the Urhobo, Itsekiri, and Ijaw ethnic nationalities, respectively.
In his address during the meeting, the INEC Chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, noted that the meeting was the fifth engagement with the stakeholders since the 2nd December 2022 apex court verdict, which mandated the Commission to carry out the exercise in the three local government areas in the Warri federal constituency.
The INEC Chairman, who was represented by INEC’s National Commissioner overseeing Cross River, Delta, and Edo states, Prof. Rhoda Gumus, urged the stakeholders to study the report and respond to it appropriately as the commission was ready to adopt the report as a working document in line with the Supreme Court directive.
Prof Yakubu said, “We recall that, in our last engagement meeting on the 8th of July, 2024 in Warri Federal Constituency, we concluded all discussions with stakeholders and made a promise to commence the fieldwork of the wards in the above-mentioned constituency. The Commission has carried out the exercise, which took place between 10th to 27th July 2024.
“On the other hand, the entire people of the Warri Federal Constituency played their role as committed citizens.”
While expressing gratitude “to the Governor of Delta State who provided the enabling environment for this exercise”, the INEC Chairman expressed appreciation for the presence of the community representatives, saying it was a demonstration of their confidence in the Commission as an unbiased electoral umpire.
In his remarks, the INEC Delta State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Sir Umoren, described the event as significant “because it speaks to the determination, resilience, and unity of purpose of all concerned to move beyond the Supreme Court Judgement delivered on 2nd December 2022, to where we are today.
He thanked the INEC Chairman for providing the necessary leadership, and the regional coordinator for successfully overseeing the exercise to a logical conclusion.
“The report of the fieldwork is a critical cornerstone towards the Implementation of the Supreme Court-ordered delineation of wards and polling units in Warri Federal Constituency, Delta State.
“Before we arrived at this point, a stakeholders’ meeting was first held at the INEC Delta State Office in Asaba on 15 February 2023, followed by the expanded stakeholders’ meeting, which was held also in Asaba on 21st March 2024.
“The third stakeholders’ meeting was held in Warri, Warri South LGA, headquarters of Warri Federal Constituency, on 8th July 2024 before the commission’s men and materials were deployed to commence the fieldwork exercise from 10th -27th July 2024.
Nonetheless, THISDAY gathered that under the fresh delineation fieldwork report for Warri North Local Government Area, the Ijaw has 10 of the 18 wards while Itsekiri has eight wards; for Warri South-West, Ijaw has 15 Wards to Itsekiri’s four we; and in Warri South, Ijaw has three wards out of the 20 Wards while Itsekiri and Urhobo have eight and nine wards, respectively.
