Warri Delineation: Itsekiri Youth Group, UIY Rejects INEC’s New Proposal, Alleges ‘State-Sponsored Electoral Fraud’

The apex youth body in the Warri Kingdom, the Ugbarajo Itsekiri Youths (UIY), has vehemently rejected the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) new proposal for the delineation of the Warri Federal Constituency.

In a sharply worded statement released following the INEC stakeholders’ meeting in Asaba, Delta State on May 20, 2026, the group described the electoral umpire’s new report as “electoral fraud orchestrated by a State Actor” aimed at stripping the Itsekiri people of their political and electoral relevance.

While acknowledging that the Supreme Court had ordered a delineation exercise in the case of Hon. George Timinimi & Ors v. INEC, the UIY maintained that the apex court did not authorize an exercise “tainted with fraud, corrupt practices, and illegalities.”

The youth group raised several grave allegations against INEC, claiming the commission completely abandoned neutrality.

According to the UIY, INEC bypassed the official 2006 population census and existing voters’ registers to deliberately manufacture data that disadvantages the Itsekiri nation.

In the statement signed by Comr. Okotie Joseph (President), Comr. Jolomi Jakpah (Secretary General), and Barr. Onesiosan S. Ogholaja (Legal Advisor), on Thursday, the group listed several key grievances, including creation of “ghost” wards.

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UIY accused INEC of inventing non-existent communities such as ‘Bolouma’ and ‘Ewein’ in Warri South to fraudulently create new polling units and wards.

The group alleged that communities entirely outside the Warri Federal Constituency—including Udu, Burutu, Ughelli South, and even Aragbo in Ondo State—were erroneously captured in the new delineation, alleging that “units such as Jimmygbene point via coordinates to Ebrohimi ( an Itsekiri Community) was falsely entered as Ijaw Settlements”.

The youths questioned why the Gbaramatu (Ijaw) axis was increased to 9 wards despite being a sparsely populated riverine area, while established Itsekiri wards were premeditatedly merged and reduced.

The UIY directly accused INEC of utilizing individuals of Ijaw extraction to chair and steer the delineation exercise in the disputed areas, thereby compromising the fairness of the outcome.

“The new report betrays the principles of electoral honesty, transparency, and fairness. INEC fraudulently used open rivers and forests as ward locations to achieve a predetermined agenda,” the statement read.

The UIY argued that INEC’s actions violate Section 9(5) of the Electoral Act 2022, as well as Section 42 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), by subjecting the Itsekiri people to systematic electoral disabilities and restrictions.

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They cited historical judicial precedents, including the landmark suit No. W/148/56, which affirmed that certain neighbouring groups lack legal land rights in specific Warri South territories, questioning the legal foundation upon which INEC allocated new units to those areas.

Vowing to resist the implementation of the proposal through all available legal avenues, the UIY maintained; “As the Apex Youth Body in Warri Kingdom, we unequivocally state that we will legally resist any attempt to annex Itsekiri Nation Land. In our righteous might, we shall continue to defend the electoral integrity of Warri Kingdom and protect our land from all electoral fraud.”

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