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Indigenous Ijaw and Urhobo stakeholders in Delta State Warri Federal Constituency have urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to implement its final report on the Supreme Court-ordered delineation of Warri North, Warri South, and Warri South-West Local Government Areas without further delay.
In an open letter dated June 8, 2026, addressed to INEC Chairman Prof. Joash O. Amupitan, the groups wondered why INEC had begun implementation of the delineation more than 20 days after presenting the final report to stakeholders in Asaba on May 20, 2026.
They said the implementation of the delineation needs urgent attention as the deadline for political parties to submit candidates for the 2027 general election is fast approaching, they noted.
Referring to Supreme Court’s December 2, 2022, judgment in _SC/413/2016: Hon. George U. Timinimi & 9 Ors v. INEC, which ordered INEC to conduct a fresh delineation of electoral wards and polling units in the Warri Federal Constituency for future elections, the stakeholders said that INEC carried out fieldwork in July 2024 and presented a draft report in April 2025, before releasing the final report on May 20, 2026.
It said that at the May presentation, INEC National Commissioner Alhaji Abdulrazaq Tukur Yusuf said the Commission had created 20 registration areas/electoral wards across the three LGAs, recommended two additional state constituencies for Warri North and Warri South-West, and proposed an additional federal constituency subject to constitutional approval.
The Ijaw and Urhobo stakeholders said the report was “widely accepted and celebrated” but expressed shock that implementation had not started.
They claim that the delay is due to “external interference by the Presidency which ordered that the implementation… be put on hold,” linking the decision to President Bola Tinubu’s matrimonial ties to the Itsekiri ethnic nationality.
Citing Section 160(1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the groups argued that INEC’s powers are not subject to presidential control, warning that failure to enforce the Supreme Court order violates Section 287(1) of the Constitution.
They also referenced a recent Federal High Court ruling in _FHC/WR/CS/37/2025: Ejeyi Philip & 5 Ors v. INEC & Anor, which held that delineation is INEC’s exclusive responsibility.
The stakeholders demanded an immediate implementation of the May 20, 2026, final report without alteration; direction to political parties to conduct primaries in the new state constituencies for Warri North and Warri South-West;; and use of the new polling units and wards for all electoral activities in the constituency.
The letter said that INEC’s refusal to obey the rule of law “is leading to frustrations and unnecessary tension in the Warri Federal Constituency” warning that the INEC Chairman “would be held personally responsible for any breakdown of law and order.”
