The Historical Truth About Warri Federal Constituency Ward Delineation and INEC’s Dangerous Delay -

By Uche Alvin

OPEN LETTER TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, INEC, AND THE NIGERIAN PUBLIC

Subject: The Historical Truth About Warri Delineation and INEC’s Dangerous Delay
Date: [22/8/2025]

History Will Not Forgive INEC’s Delay

Your refusal to announce the Supreme Court–ordered final ward delineation result for Warri Federal Constituency is a betrayal of democracy. History has shown us that when justice is denied in Warri, blood flows. INEC, your silence is sowing the same seeds of injustice that once plunged Warri into destruction in 1997, 1999 and 2003, when political manipulation led to violent crises that claimed lives and shattered peace.

The Constitution Has Spoken: INEC Must Obey

Section 287(1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) is unequivocal:

“The decisions of the Supreme Court shall be enforced in any part of the Federation by all authorities and persons, and by courts with subordinate jurisdiction to that of the Supreme Court.”

By disobeying the judgment in Timinimi v. INEC (SC/CV/1033/2023), INEC is not just failing Warri, it is waging war against the Constitution itself.

Delay Is Political Violence in Disguise

The ward injustice of 6 wards for Itsekiri, 4 for Ijaw, and 0 for Urhobo is an insult to truth and a violation of equity. Every day of delay deepens ethnic tension, hardens division and fuels resentment. As Martin Luther King Jr. once said:

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”

INEC, your inaction is not administrative delay, it is political violence in disguise.

INEC Cannot Selectively Obey Court Orders

When the Supreme Court ruled on Ebonyi, Kaduna, and Anambra, INEC complied swiftly. But in Warri, INEC drags its feet, hiding behind silence. This double standard exposes political bias and ethnic manipulation. Democracy dies when arbitrariness replaces obedience to law.

The Historical Declarations: Warri Truth Cannot Be Buried

1485 – Duarte Pacheco Pereira’s Testimony: The Ijaw were the indigenous population of Escravos and Warri rivers, long before Ginuwa fled Benin.

1925 – Ogegede v. Dore Numa: The courts recognized that Itsekiri were not overlords of Ijaw and Urhobo lands.

1996 – Shell v. Tiebo VII (SC. 33/1993): The Supreme Court affirmed Ijaw ownership rights over Warri lands.

Colonial CSO 26/Vol.6/08549: British intelligence recorded that Ijaw and Urhobo were the majority population in Warri, not Itsekiri.

The truth is clear: Ijaw and Urhobo are the ancestral custodians of Warri. INEC’s current ward allocation is fraudulent, unjust and unconstitutional.

Federal Government Must Act Now

Mr. President, you swore an oath under Section oath of office, Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to “preserve, protect and defend the Constitution.” That oath is meaningless if your government allows INEC to trample on the Supreme Court.

We demand immediate presidential intervention: direct INEC to announce the final delineation result without delay.

The Warning of War

Warri is a fragile land. When injustice lingers, peace collapses. INEC must remember:

The 1997 crisis started with ward injustice.

The 1999 violence grew from political manipulation.

The 2003 mayhem was fueled by electoral fraud.

The present injustice is no different. It is a ticking time bomb.

INEC’s Duty to Protect Democracy

INEC was not created to manufacture crisis, but to protect fairness. By holding back the delineation, INEC is failing its constitutional mandate under Section 153(f) of the 1999 Constitution and Paragraph 15, Part 1 of the Third Schedule, which obligates it to ensure proper electoral representation.

When Justice Is Denied, Conflict Becomes Inevitable

We put it on record today: if violence erupts in Warri due to INEC’s stubborn refusal to obey the law, history will hold INEC accountable.

Our Final Declaration

No Final Delineation, No Voter Registration in Warri.

No Justice, No Peace.

Obey the Supreme Court or Prepare for History’s Judgment.

Signed:

Chief, Tiemopere Joshua
(President)

Chief, Ebikeme T. Godstime
(Secretary)

Concerned Stakeholders of Warri Federal Constituency

Cc:

The National Assembly of Nigeria