Warri re-delineation protest reached the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission in Abuja as Itsekiri women demanded an immediate halt to the controversial exercise. The protesters warned that the process threatens the political survival of the Itsekiri people in Delta State.
Members of the Warri Indigenous Women Forum marched peacefully to INEC, accusing the commission of conducting a re-delineation exercise while court cases on the matter remain unresolved. They cautioned that any further action could amount to contempt of court and risk renewed tension in the Niger Delta.
The women submitted a formal petition to INEC, urging the commission to suspend the exercise and calling on the Federal Government, the United Nations, and the international community to intervene. They described the situation as carrying serious political and humanitarian consequences if left unaddressed.
Speaking for the group, Chairperson Mrs. Tenumah Alero said the protest followed earlier demonstrations by Itsekiri youths. She said the women were compelled to act to defend their ancestral rights and support their children’s efforts. She also acknowledged the backing of the Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse III.
In their petition, the women alleged that the re-delineation, reportedly initiated under former INEC Chairman Mahmood Yakubu, violates the political and fundamental rights of the Itsekiri Nation. They insisted that all lands within the Warri Federal Constituency historically belong to the Itsekiri people.
They linked the dispute to years of violence, displacement, and marginalisation since 1999, alleging coordinated attempts by neighbouring groups to weaken Itsekiri political representation. The women further accused INEC of ignoring ongoing legal proceedings at the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal in Abuja.
The petition also raised concerns over reports that coordinate points were allegedly fixed in Edo and Ondo states, as well as outside Warri Federal Constituency, to create polling units for non-indigenes. The women cited a December 2025 Court of Appeal judgment affirming Itsekiri ownership of Ogbe-Ijoh community, arguing that INEC lacks authority to act contrary to that ruling.
They warned that if the exercise stands, the Itsekiri risk becoming the only ethnic group in Nigeria without a local government.
Responding on behalf of INEC, National Commissioner Prof. Abdullahi Zuru commended the protesters for their peaceful conduct. He assured them the petition would be tabled before the commission, describing the protest as “democracy in action” and pledging careful review of all submissions.
