Being Text of a Joint Press Conference Issued by the Ijaws and Urhobos of Warri on the Report of the Field Work on the Fresh Delineation of Electoral Wards and Poling Units, and Threats to Peace and Security in the Warri Federal Constituency of Delta State, held on the 30th of April, 2025 in Warri.

1. Gentlemen of the press, this joint press conference was called by the Ijaws and Urhobos of Warri Federal Constituency of Delta State consisting of Warri North, Warri South and Warri South West Local Government Areas to state our joint position on the report of the fieldwork on the fresh delineation of electoral wards and polling units as ordered by the Supreme Court and recent report of threat to peace and security arising from the fresh delineation.

2. COMMENDATION AND CALL ON INEC TO CONCLUDE THE FRESH DELINEATION BEFORE ANY FUTURE ELECTORAL ACTIVITY IN COMPLIANCE WITH SUPREME COURT ORDER

3. The Ijaws and Urhobos of Warri commend the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the steps taken so far towards complying with the Supreme Court order on fresh delineation of electoral wards and polling units in the Warri Federal Constituency of Delta State.

4. We note that, in a bid to frustrate the implementation of the Supreme Court order, the Itsekiri Ethnic Nationality filed multiple suits in different Divisions of the Federal High Court of Nigeria.
However, INEC has demonstrated its commitment and respect for the rule of law by taking necessary steps to comply with the Supreme Court order on the fresh delineation.

5. In this respect, we welcome the release of the report of the fieldwork on the fresh delineation by INEC. We further note that, the report of the fieldwork by INEC confirms the obvious fact on ground, which is that, the Ijaws constitute the majority population in Warri North and Warri South-West Local Government Areas, while the Urhobos constitute the majority population in Warri South Local Government Area. We commend INEC for standing by the truth and justice.

6. We therefore call on INEC to complete the process of the fresh delineation of electoral wards and polling units in the Warri Federal Constituency and release its final decision without further delay.

7. It is the position of the Ijaws and Urhobos of Warri that, there should not be any electoral activity including registration of voters in the Warri Federal Constituency without completion of the fresh delineation as ordered by the Supreme Court. Our position is predicated on the ground that, without completion of the fresh delineation exercise, there are no existing electoral wards and polling units upon which any electoral activity can be predicated upon, including registration of voters.

OUR POSITION ON THE ITSEKIRI CALL FOR THE USE OF VOTERS REGISTER TO CARRY OUT THE FRESH DELINEATION

8. The Ijaws and Urhobos of Warri note the agitation of the Itsekiri Ethnic Nationality against the report of the field work on the basis that, the register of voters which existed before the Supreme Court ordered fresh delineation ought to be used as a basis to carry out the fresh delineation.

9. We equivocally oppose the agitation for the use of non-existent register of voters as basis to carry out the fresh delineation of electoral wards and polling units. The agitation is against the 1999 Constitution, as amended, the Electoral Act, 2022, the INEC Guidelines dated the 21st day of March, 2024 and the essence of the fieldwork on the fresh delineation of electoral wards and polling units. The primary consideration for the delineation of electoral wards and polling units is the population quota/number of inhabitants and other physical consideration of the areas concerned.

10. Furthermore, it is our position that, based on the Supreme Court order on fresh delineation of wards and polling units, there is no longer any existing register of voters in the Warri Federal Constituency upon which any activity can be predicated upon. We therefore urge INEC to stick to the law and its Guidelines and not to succumb to the Itsekiri blackmail and misleading agitations to rely on register of voters. The field work carried out by INEC and other existing public records clearly revealed the majority population status of the Ijaws and Urhobos in Warri North, Warri South West and Warri South LGAs respectively.

11. Furthermore, the register of voters was not one of the items considered during the field work on the fresh delineation. Also, the Itsekiris have not complained that any of their communities or settlements was omitted in the report of the fieldwork presented by INEC. It therefore means that, the Itsekiri voter register based agitation against the INEC field work report is baseless and lacks any legal foundation.

THREAT TO PEACE IN THE WARRI FEDERAL CONSTITUENCY OF DELTA STATE AND NIGER DELTA REGION

12. The Ijaws and Urhobos of Warri were shocked by the report of the arrest of persons, including a serving British Army Officer for illegally bringing in arms to instigate unrest in the Warri Federal Constituency of Delta State, so as to truncate the Supreme Court ordered fresh delineation of electoral wards and polling units. A Traditional Ruler in the Warri Federal Constituency and its close aides were allegedly involved and the said persons have not denied the report several days thereafter.

12. We note that, the Ijaw and Urhobo people of Warri were the primary target of those behind this dastardly act of stockpiling of arms. We therefore, commend the proactive efforts of the Directorate of State Security Services (DSS) and sister security forces that carried out the covet operations leading to the arrest of the perpetrators.

13. The Ijaws and Urhobos of Warri call for detailed investigation and prosecution of the those behind this act of terrorism, irrespective of the position and class of the persons involved. We demand that, under no circumstances should this matter be swept under the carpet considering its grave implications on regional and national security.

14. The office of the National Security Adviser is called upon to be transparent in the investigation and prosecution of the culprits. We demand that the Nigerian people, especially the people and residents of Warri Federal Constituency of Delta State deserve to have an official reaction from the government of Nigeria on the issue of illegal stockpiling of arms to instigate crisis in Warri.

ITSEKIRI ATTEMPT TO INSTIGATE CRISIS AND BLACKMAIL INEC AND GOVERNMENT

15. The Ijaws and Urhobos of Warri note the desperate attempts by the Itsekiri Ethnic Nationality to blackmail the Nigerian government and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to carry out the delineation on their terms and trying to instigate crisis in Warri. The Itsekiris have done this through attempt to disrupt oil and gas operations in some parts of Delta State, persistent media attacks on INEC and instigating some Yoruba Groups to issue reckless press statements.

16. The Ijaws and Urhobos call on the Nigerian government to consider the attempt to disrupt oil and gas operations as a result of compliance with the order of the Supreme Court as an act of terrorism and bring the perpetrators to justice. We state that, Nigeria is not a Banana Republic where the orders of the Supreme Court would be obeyed at the pleasure and on the conditions of an ethnic group. All persons and authorities including the Federal Government is bound by the orders of the Supreme Court on the fresh delineation of electoral wards and polling units. Therefore, any attempt to frustrate the implementation of the judgment by attempting to attack national assets should be regarded as a threat to national security and the perpetrators brought to justice.

17. We condemn the reckless statement issued by some purported Pan Yoruba Groups where they threatened the peace and security of the Niger Delta region as a result of the Supreme Court ordered delineation. We are aware that all these threats are the desperate actions of some Itsekiri leaders and should be ignored by the government.

18. We also call on the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Ahmed Bola Tinubu not to allow its office to be blackmailed by the Itsekiris in their desperate attempt to truncate the Supreme Court ordered delineation. Any attempt to frustrate the implementation of the Supreme Court judgment on the fresh delineation is a direct invitation to anarchy by whoever that is involved. The Presidency must distant itself from any such act and allow INEC to carry out its functions in line with section 160 (1) of the 1999 Constitution as an independent agency of the federal government.

19. The Federal Government should be reminded that the relocation of the Headquarters of Warri South West Local Government Area from Ogbe-Ijoh to Ogidigben, which was instigated by the Itsekiris led to the fratricidal war in Warri from 1997 to 2003 which snowballed into the Niger Delta crisis. Therefore, we warn against any attempt to change the Ijaw and Urhobo majority status in Warri North, Warri South West and Warri South Local Government Areas, respectively as revealed by the INEC report of its field work on the fresh delineation of electoral wards and polling units.

SIGNED FOR AND ON BEHALF OF THE IJAWS AND URHOBOS OF WARRI:

IJAW:
1. HON. DENBO-DENBOFA OWEIKPODOR
2. COMRADE SHERIFF MULADE
3. HON. (CHIEF) ARTHUR AKPODUBAKAYE
4. JOEL BISINA, PhD
5. COMRADE EMMANUEL IGETEI

URHOBO:
1. CHIEF JOHN ERANVOR
2. CHIEF WESTHAM ADEHOR, JP
3. OLOROGUN VICTOR OKUMAGBA, JP
4. HON. MARK IKPURI

Being Text of a Statement released by the Gbaramatu Lawyers Association on the Release of INEC’S Field Report of the Just Concluded Warri Federal Constituency Delineation Exercise, Held at TM Hotel, Airport Road, Effurun, April 14, 2025.

The Gbaramatu Lawyers Association is the umbrella body of all qualified Legal Practitioners of Gbaramatu extraction worldwide. The core principles of our Association include: the promotion of the rule of law as well as the enforcement, promotion of the rights of the Gbaramatu people in line with constitutional provisions and other extant legislations.

Whilst it is not the habit of the Association to make public statements on just any matter of public discourse or trends, recent developments and subsequent negative reactions surrounding the fresh delineation exercise conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the Warri Federal Constituency in line with the decision of the Supreme Court of Nigeria have made it expedient that we take a position on the said matter. Our statement on the subject has become even more necessary owing to the several threats being made by our Itsekiri neighbours.

Chronology of Events Leading to the Supreme Court Decision in Suit No: SC/413/2016: HON. GEORGE U. TIMINIMI & 9 ORS v. INEC.

In 2011, having noticed the overwhelming fictitious units and ward structures in the Warri Federal Constituency of Delta State, which were being used to rig, manipulate and to subvert the will of the people of Warri Federal Constituency during elections, the Appellants in Suit No: SC/413/2016: HON. GEORGE U. TIMINIMI & 9 ORS v. INEC approached the Federal High Court and filed a suit against INEC, seeking an order of the Honourable Court to, amongst other things, order a “fresh delineation of all that units and wards in the Warri Federal Constituency for the purpose of future elections.”

The Federal High Court dismissed the suit and termed same as an academic exercise.

Dissatisfied with the said decision of the Federal High Court, the Appellants in line with their constitutionally guaranteed rights and with a dogged resolve to emancipate the entire constituency from the grave injustice of electoral manipulations, proceeded to the Court of Appeal, Benin Division. However, despite making very strong and cogent legal arguments, the Court of Appeal upheld the judgment of the lower Court and once again decided against the Appellants.

Further dissatisfied with the decision of the Court of Appeal, the Appellants approached the Supreme Court for final redress in the said matter, hoping against hope and defying all odds. Fortunately, the Supreme Court, in a well-considered decision, with the lead judgment delivered by the Hon. Justice Uwani Musa Abba Aji, JSC, on the 2nd of December, 2022 agreed with the arguments of the Appellants and ordered INEC to carry out “a fresh delineation of all that units and wards in the Warri Federal Constituency for the purposes of future elections”.

With one simple but strong and eternal blow, the Supreme Court, being the apex court in Nigeria, dismantled all the fictitious and baseless units and ward structures within the Warri Federal Constituency and paved the way for the correction of all electoral injustice, sharp practices and manipulations, which our people have suffered for decades.

Attempts at Frustrating the Supreme Court Order

The Association notes with utmost dismay the number of suits filed in lower courts by the Itsekiris all in a bid to frustrate the enforcement of the Supreme Court order. A suit was filed at the Federal High Court seeking to prevent INEC from proceeding with the delineation exercise. The said suit lingered for months with their counsels changed several times but at the end the Court dismissed the said suit for being a complete waste of time.

Again, in another calculated attempt to shut INEC from further implementing the judgment and releasing the result of the delineation exercise, they approached the Federal High Court, Abuja. Sadly, after several arguments and adjournments, the Federal High Court dismissed the said suit and this paved the way for INEC to release the said delineation report.

Time will fail the Association to mention several press releases, statements, and interviews on national television and online platforms sponsored by the Itsekiris to prevent the enforcement of the said judgment. Till date, all kinds of frivolous suits are still being filed and pursued all in a bid to ensure that the order of the Supreme Court does not come to light. The latest being a suit filed at the Federal High Court Warri questioning the membership of the panel that conducted the delineation exercise on grounds of ethnicity.

We know as a matter of fact that if any of the justices that presided over the case that ordered the fresh delineation of the units and wards in the Warri Federal Constituency was an Ijaw or Urhobo, they would have heavily termed the panel as corrupt and biased. All these are attempts to frustrate the implementation of the judgment. However, we are not deterred. We take solace in the evergreen latin maxim that says “fiat justitia ruat caelum” …let justice be done though the heavens fall…”

We also reiterate the position of law as emphasised in KANAWA & ANOR v INEC & ORS. (2020) LPELR-52117(CA), where the court made the point that “it is not controverted, that Courts do not exist for the purpose of interpreting the decisions of other Courts. Once a decision is given and that decision is tested at the Supreme Court, the matter ends there.”

Inflammatory and Inciting Statements

Since the release of the delineation report by INEC, there have been several comments and videos on social media platforms even from prominent leaders of the Itsekiri nationality inciting Itsekiri communities to take up arms against the Gbaramatu people. We would like to remind all the dramatis personae in the said scheme of incitement that they and their followers shall and will be criminally liable in the event that any member of the communities in Gbaramatu is attacked or maimed as result of their remarks. We also use this opportunity to call on all security agencies (NSA, DSS, the Nigerian Police Force, the Nigerian Army, Navy etc.) to invite, investigate and prosecute anybody or group persons who have made such inciting remarks in order to prevent a total breakdown of law and order in the Warri Federal Constituency.

Our Advice to INEC

Whilst we are pleased that INEC has finally taken steps to adhere to the decision of the Supreme Court, we however note that it took close to three years before the electoral umpire could adhere to the decision of the apex court. More concerning is the fact that INEC did not adhere to the decision of the Supreme Court in Suit No: SC/413/2016: HON. GEORGE U. TIMINIMI & 9 ORS v. INEC before conducting the 2023 General Elections in the Warri Federal Constituency.
In any event, we advise INEC to uphold the integrity of the Findings and Report that emanated from their field work. We urge INEC not to be deterred as they are statutorily bound to adhere to the decision of the Supreme Court and carry out their statutory duty as ordered by the Supreme Court, without more. We warn that any attempt to reverse their Findings and Reports which emanated from their field work would amount to an infraction of an already settled judicial process.

Finally, as far as the delineation exercise is concerned, justice has been done and the heavens did not fall.

Signed:
FRIDAY EMOTIMIDE ESQ, President

WERISINDE TIMIYAN ESQ, Secretary

PRESS RELEASE

BY THE EXECUTIVE GOVERNOR OF RIVERS STATE

March 19, 2025

My dear Rivers People,

I address you today with a deep sense of responsibility and calm, as we navigate this unfortunate moment in our state’s political history.

Since assuming office as your Governor, all my actions and decisions have been guided by my constitutional oath of office and a great sense of duty.

We prioritized the protection of lives and property and ensured the continuous progress of our dear State.

Even in the face of the political impasse, we have remained committed to constitutional order and the rule of law, putting the interest of our people above all else.

This was why, immediately after Mr. President’s intervention to broker peace, we did not hesitate to implement the agreed terms in good faith, including welcoming back commissioners who had previously resigned on their own volition.

Furthermore, we moved swiftly to comply with the Supreme Court’s judgement immediately we received the certified true copy of the judgement to return the state to normalcy.

These steps were taken not for personal gains but to foster peace, unity and stability in our dear State.

Unfortunately, at every turn, members of the Rivers State House of Assembly frustrated our efforts, thus making genuine peace and progress difficult.

Our priorities remained the security of lives and property and advancing the well-being and prosperity of Rivers people.

Yes, we have political disagreements, but good governance had continued, salaries have been paid, and great projects were being executed to move the State forward. Above all, Rivers State is safe, secure and peaceful under our watch.

At this critical time, I urge all Rivers people to remain peaceful and law-abiding. We will engage with all relevant institutions to ensure that our democracy remains strong and that Rivers State continues to thrive.

We have always been a resilient people, and we will face this situation with wisdom, patience, and unwavering faith in the democratic process.

God bless Rivers State. God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Sir, Siminalayi Fubara, GSSRS