Political Tensions Escalate In Delta As Itsekiri Protesters Disrupt Shell Operations Over INEC Ward Delineation

Political tension is spreading in Warri, Delta state over recent delineation of Wards and Polling Units by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the three Warri local government councils.

BIGPEN NIGERIA (https;bigpenngr.com) reports that the protest which started on Tuesday in Ogidigben, had escalated, culminating in the shutting down of a Shell Petroleum Development Company flow station at Ogidigben, near Ugborodo, on Wednesday.

The protesters who were from across Warri Kingdom, including community leaders and youth groups, expressed their grievances against what they perceive as an “orchestrated plan to politically marginalize the Itsekiri people.”

The protesters bored placards with inscriptions such as “Agbassa people are tenants to Itsekiri people, so they can’t have wards,” “INEC, return our electoral ward,” “INEC, stop this broad-day marginalisation,” and “The Itsekiri are the majority in the three Warris,” among others.

Hundreds of the protesters set up camp outside the Shell facility with canopies and loudspeakers blasting protest songs. They cooked communal meals from slaughtered cows, indicating their intention to maintain a siege on the facility defiling the presence of soldiers nearby.

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Addressing newsmen at the Shell gate, Mr. Raymond Pira, a former ward councilor and deputy leader of Warri South-West legislative Arm, explained that the unrest stemmed from perceived injustices inflicted upon the Itsekiri by INEC.

He accused the commission of ignoring a court order that prohibited the contentious delineation process and violating the law to fulfill undisclosed interests.

“We are protesting INEC’s unlawful actions and contempt for the court,” Pira stated, highlighting the broader implications for the Itsekiri nation and Warri Kingdom.

“We are protesting INEC’s unlawful behaviour and contempt of court. This injustice is not just against Ugborodo, but against the entire Itsekiri and Warri Kingdom,” Mr Pira said.

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“INEC came out with a delineation plan despite a subsisting court order—even after swearing an affidavit that it would not proceed.

“It’s clear that some people believe the Itsekiri can be treated with disdain simply because we don’t throw around dollars.”

He also pointed out historical grievances, such as the claimed exclusion of several Itsekiri communities from coastal buffer zones by the National Boundary Commission, which has deprived them of access to offshore benefits.

“We were unlawfully excluded while communities farther inland like Oporoza and Ogbudugbudu were included. This was done under the last administration with the full knowledge of the then Deputy Governor, an Ijaw man,” he stated.

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He criticized the delineation plan for unfairly altering their representation across Warri South, Warri North, and Warri South-West Local Government Areas.local governance, claiming that the Itsekiri had been unjustly reduced in representation across the three Warri local government areas.

The protesters argued that the new ward distributions unfairly favoured the Ijaw ethnic group, noting that while their representation in Warri North remained limited, the Ijaw wards had expanded significantly.

“In Warri North, where Itsekiris and Ijaws cohabit, we had six wards while the Ijaws had four. Today, Ijaw wards have increased to 10, while ours only rose to eight,” Pira explained.

“In Warri South, our eight wards have been kept the same, but Urhobos have been increased to nine, and Ijaws—who historically have no presence there—have been allocated three new wards in areas that are clearly Itsekiri strongholds like Miller, McCaiver, and Main Market.”

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He added, “Even our monarch’s residence is now said to fall under an Ijaw ward. It’s an outrageous manipulation. INEC is claiming the Itsekiris are not reproducing and are now fewer in number, while others have multiplied miraculously. That’s absurd.”

Mr. Victor Laju Udonju, National Vice Chairman of the Ugborodo Community, emphasized the political ramifications of the changes, warning that the new alignment could strip the Itsekiri of their ability to elect leaders in the area.

“With the new arrangement, Itsekiris across the three Warri councils cannot produce a local government chairman, a House of Assembly member, or even a House of Representatives member. This is a strategic attempt to eliminate our political relevance,” Udonju stated.

He provided an overview of the discussions that took place at a meeting held at the protest site, which included representatives from Ugborodo, Shell, and the Nigerian Army, to communicate their demands.

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“We have made it clear: we are not leaving here until the Federal Government intervenes. We are peace-loving people, but we will not accept this injustice.
“If delineation must be done, it must follow due process and be in accordance with the law,” he asserted.

He declared that the protesters would not leave the site until the Federal Government intervened, stressing the need for lawful processes in any delineation efforts.

Holding placards that voiced their demand for electoral rights, the protesters urged an immediate suspension of the delineation process and sought a dialogue with the Federal Government to prevent a larger crisis.

Currently, Shell’s operations are suspended, and security has been heightened in the area. There has been no official response yet from INEC or the Delta State Government at the time of filing this report on Wednesday evening.

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