By Francis Sadhere, Warri
The Ijaw people of Warri South Local Government Area in Delta State have strongly defended the final report of the Supreme Court-ordered delineation of the Warri Federal Constituency released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), insisting that the exercise reflects the realities on ground and corrects decades of political marginalisation against the Ijaw ethnic nationality.
Addressing journalists at Ogbe-Ijoh, Warri, leaders of the Ijaw community said they fully accepted the fresh delineation exercise released by INEC on May 20, 2026, particularly the creation and recognition of Ijaw electoral wards and registration areas in Warri South Local Government Area.
Speaking during the press briefing, the Ijaw leaders stated that the new delineation exercise and the recognition of Ijaw electoral wards under Warri South Constituency 11 of the Delta State House of Assembly aligned with the aspirations of the Ijaw people.
The group, however, accused some neighbouring ethnic groups, especially the Itsekiri, of spreading false narratives that the Ijaw people of Ogbe-Ijoh are not part of Warri South LGA.
According to the Ijaw leaders, the issue had already been addressed during stakeholders’ meetings involving INEC officials and representatives of the Ijaw, Itsekiri and Urhobo ethnic nationalities before the field exercise commenced.
They explained that INEC officials deployed to the field physically visited Ijaw communities and settlements within Warri South, including areas now delineated as Ewein Ward 07, Bulou-Ama Ward 02, Ogbe-Ijoh Warri Urban Ward 12, and parts of GRA Ward 08.
The group insisted that the existence of Ijaw communities in Warri South was not in dispute, adding that Ogbe-Ijoh remained one of the earliest settlements in present-day Warri Township.
Citing historical documents, including the 1928 Warri Township Assessment Report, the Ijaw leaders argued that the report clearly identified Ogbe-Ijoh as an original Ijaw settlement around which parts of Warri later developed.
They further stated that the 1955 Western Region law establishing the then Warri Urban District Council created four electoral wards for the Ijaw people, namely Alders Town B3, Ogbe-Ijoh Ward C1, Ogbe-Ijoh Ward C2, and Government Area F1.
According to them, the political fortunes of the Ijaws changed following the 1976 local government reforms, which allegedly fragmented the formerly homogenous Ijaw wards into different polling units across Pessu, GRA, Bowen and Okere wards, thereby reducing the political influence of the ethnic group.
The Ijaw leaders described the latest INEC delineation exercise as an attempt to correct what they termed “obvious injustice” against the Ijaw people in Warri South.
The group also maintained that the Ogbe-Ijoh Kingdom and other Ijaw areas in Warri metropolis were legally and traditionally distinct from Itsekiri territories, citing various traditional rulers’ laws and court judgments.
On the legal disputes surrounding land ownership claims in Warri, the Ijaw leaders argued that the Itsekiri ethnic nationality had no valid court judgment granting them radical title over Ogbe-Ijoh lands or other Ijaw territories in Warri metropolis.
The briefing also took a political turn as the group accused Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, of allegedly attempting to frustrate the implementation of the Supreme Court-ordered delineation exercise.
The Ijaw leaders claimed that the First Lady had consistently supported efforts aimed at preventing the creation of electoral wards for Ijaw communities in Warri South.
They warned that attempts to reverse the newly created wards could heighten tensions in the area and recalled the 1997 Warri crisis, which erupted following the relocation of the headquarters of Warri South-West Local Government Area from Ogbe-Ijoh to Ogidigben.
The group urged the First Lady to remain neutral and focus on promoting development and peaceful coexistence among ethnic groups in Warri rather than allegedly supporting ethnic interests.
While commending INEC for concluding the delineation exercise despite litigation and protests, the Ijaw leaders insisted that the newly created wards were still inadequate.
According to them, the Ijaw population in Warri South deserves at least five homogenous electoral wards and additional political representation considering historical precedents dating back to 1955.
The statement was signed by the Ijaw Focal Person, Hon. Denbo-Denbofa Oweikpodor, alongside Chief M. Keme and Comrade Moses Fiyebor.
The Ijaw people of Warri South Local Government Area in Delta State have strongly defended the final report of the Supreme Court-ordered delineation of the Warri Federal Constituency released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), insisting that the exercise reflects the realities on ground and corrects decades of political marginalisation against the Ijaw ethnic nationality.
Addressing journalists at Ogbe-Ijoh, Warri, leaders of the Ijaw community said they fully accepted the fresh delineation exercise released by INEC on May 20, 2026, particularly the creation and recognition of Ijaw electoral wards and registration areas in Warri South Local Government Area.
Speaking during the press briefing, the Ijaw leaders stated that the new delineation exercise and the recognition of Ijaw electoral wards under Warri South Constituency 11 of the Delta State House of Assembly aligned with the aspirations of the Ijaw people.
The group, however, accused some neighbouring ethnic groups, especially the Itsekiri, of spreading false narratives that the Ijaw people of Ogbe-Ijoh are not part of Warri South LGA.
According to the Ijaw leaders, the issue had already been addressed during stakeholders’ meetings involving INEC officials and representatives of the Ijaw, Itsekiri and Urhobo ethnic nationalities before the field exercise commenced.
They explained that INEC officials deployed to the field physically visited Ijaw communities and settlements within Warri South, including areas now delineated as Ewein Ward 07, Bulou-Ama Ward 02, Ogbe-Ijoh Warri Urban Ward 12, and parts of GRA Ward 08.
The group insisted that the existence of Ijaw communities in Warri South was not in dispute, adding that Ogbe-Ijoh remained one of the earliest settlements in present-day Warri Township.
Citing historical documents, including the 1928 Warri Township Assessment Report, the Ijaw leaders argued that the report clearly identified Ogbe-Ijoh as an original Ijaw settlement around which parts of Warri later developed.
They further stated that the 1955 Western Region law establishing the then Warri Urban District Council created four electoral wards for the Ijaw people, namely Alders Town B3, Ogbe-Ijoh Ward C1, Ogbe-Ijoh Ward C2, and Government Area F1.
According to them, the political fortunes of the Ijaws changed following the 1976 local government reforms, which allegedly fragmented the formerly homogenous Ijaw wards into different polling units across Pessu, GRA, Bowen and Okere wards, thereby reducing the political influence of the ethnic group.
The Ijaw leaders described the latest INEC delineation exercise as an attempt to correct what they termed “obvious injustice” against the Ijaw people in Warri South.
The group also maintained that the Ogbe-Ijoh Kingdom and other Ijaw areas in Warri metropolis were legally and traditionally distinct from Itsekiri territories, citing various traditional rulers’ laws and court judgments.
On the legal disputes surrounding land ownership claims in Warri, the Ijaw leaders argued that the Itsekiri ethnic nationality had no valid court judgment granting them radical title over Ogbe-Ijoh lands or other Ijaw territories in Warri metropolis.
The briefing also took a political turn as the group accused Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, of allegedly attempting to frustrate the implementation of the Supreme Court-ordered delineation exercise.
The Ijaw leaders claimed that the First Lady had consistently supported efforts aimed at preventing the creation of electoral wards for Ijaw communities in Warri South.
They warned that attempts to reverse the newly created wards could heighten tensions in the area and recalled the 1997 Warri crisis, which erupted following the relocation of the headquarters of Warri South-West Local Government Area from Ogbe-Ijoh to Ogidigben.
The group urged the First Lady to remain neutral and focus on promoting development and peaceful coexistence among ethnic groups in Warri rather than allegedly supporting ethnic interests.
While commending INEC for concluding the delineation exercise despite litigation and protests, the Ijaw leaders insisted that the newly created wards were still inadequate.
According to them, the Ijaw population in Warri South deserves at least five homogenous electoral wards and additional political representation considering historical precedents dating back to 1955.
The statement was signed by the Ijaw Focal Person, Hon. Denbo-Denbofa Oweikpodor, alongside Chief M. Keme and Comrade Moses Fiyebor.
