{"id":4256,"date":"2025-07-03T12:07:03","date_gmt":"2025-07-03T12:07:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/index.php\/2025\/07\/03\/disregard-false-and-fraudulent-itsekiri-ownership-claims-of-warri-south-warri-south-west-warri-north-lgas-and-urgently-publish-the-final-ward-delineation-report-___rights-group-tel\/"},"modified":"2025-07-03T12:07:03","modified_gmt":"2025-07-03T12:07:03","slug":"disregard-false-and-fraudulent-itsekiri-ownership-claims-of-warri-south-warri-south-west-warri-north-lgas-and-urgently-publish-the-final-ward-delineation-report-___rights-group-tel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/index.php\/2025\/07\/03\/disregard-false-and-fraudulent-itsekiri-ownership-claims-of-warri-south-warri-south-west-warri-north-lgas-and-urgently-publish-the-final-ward-delineation-report-___rights-group-tel\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cDisregard False And Fraudulent Itsekiri Ownership Claims Of Warri South, Warri South West, Warri North LGAs And Urgently Publish The Final Ward Delineation Report\u201d ___Rights Group Tells INEC"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\u200eBy Esther David<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

OPEN LETTER TO THE INDEPENDENT NATIONAL ELECTORAL COMMISSION.
\u200eDisregard False and Fraudulent Itsekiri Ownership Claims of Warri South\/Warri South West\/Warri North Local Government Areas and Urgently Publish the Final Ward Delineation Report.
\u200e
\u200eWe write to you as direct stakeholders in the democratic process and future of Warri Federal Constituency. This letter calls for the immediate implementation of the Supreme Court\u2019s judgment in Hon. George Timinimi & Others v. INEC (SC.413\/2016), which mandates a comprehensive delineation of electoral wards and polling units, followed by fresh voter registration across Warri North, Warri South and Warri South West LGAs.
\u200eAlthough INEC has commendably completed the delineation exercise and produced a detailed field report, it has failed to officially publish and operationalize this report. Such inaction now violates the spirit and letter of the Supreme Court\u2019s ruling, erodes public trust and threatens the constitutional rights of citizens in the constituency.
\u200e
\u200eThe Supreme Court Judgment: A Clear Directive, Not a Suggestion.
\u200e
\u200eThe judgment of December 2, 2022, was unequivocal: No further electoral activity, including registration or elections shall take place in Warri Federal Constituency until the delineation is properly completed and implemented. As it stands, there is no valid ward structure, no lawful polling unit arrangement and no recognized voter register in the entire constituency.
\u200eAny action in defiance of this judgment would be illegal, unconstitutional and ultimately null and void. INEC must act decisively to avoid further legal breaches, political instability and disenfranchisement.
\u200e
\u200eThe Disinformation Campaign: Itsekiri Claims and Historical Distortion
\u200e
\u200eRegrettably, INEC\u2019s hesitancy seems influenced by a sustained campaign of disinformation and historical revisionism by Itsekiri elites and followers, who falsely claim ancestral ownership of over 90% of Warri lands. This claim is categorically false and contradicted by historical records, colonial reports, judicial precedents and official government recognition.
\u200eThe Ijaw people of Ogbe-Ijoh, Gbaramatu, Egbema, Isaba and Diebiri Kingdoms are the aboriginal inhabitants of Warri Federal Constituency. Their settlements predate the arrival of Itsekiri and Prince Ginuwa and the Itsekiri monarchy by centuries.
\u200eThe attempt to distort history is rooted in the strategic misrepresentation of legal cases that were either dismissed, withdrawn, or unrelated to land ownership at scale. Notably:
\u200eSuit No. W\/148\/56 and W\/63\/58 were struck out without judgment,  no rights were conferred.
\u200eThe Supreme Court in Idudun v. Okumagba (W\/48\/68) confirmed that the Ginuwa-founded kingdom never extended to Warri city.
\u200eIn CA\/AS\/4041\/2016, the courts dismissed attempts by the Olu of Warri to nullify Ijaw and Urhobo traditional leadership recognition.
\u200eThese truths are not just legal, they are historical and undeniable.
\u200e
\u200eLegal and Government Recognition of Ijaw Sovereignty
\u200e
\u200eOver the decades, statutory and customary law has consistently recognized the distinct identity and sovereignty of Ijaw Kingdoms and their communities:
\u200eWarri Divisional Council (W.R.L.N. 176 of 1955) Recognized Ogbe-Ijoh as a distinct council area.
\u200eWarri Urban District Council (W.R.L.N. 177 of 1955) Allotted separate electoral wards to Ogbe-Ijoh: Wards B3, C1, C2, and F1.
\u200eChiefs Law (1957, Cap 19) Excluded Egbema, Gbaramatu, and Ogbe-Ijoh from the Olu of Warri\u2019s authority.
\u200eBendel State Edict (B.S.L.N. 44 of 1979) Recognized the Amaokosu of Ogbe-Ijoh as the traditional ruler of the area.
\u200eThe Delta State Traditional Rulers Council and Chiefs Law identifies seven (7) distinct and independent kingdoms in Warri Federal Constituency:
\u200e
\u200e1. Ogbe-Ijoh Kingdom
\u200e2. Gbaramatu Kingdom
\u200e3. Egbema Kingdom
\u200e4. Isaba Kingdom
\u200e5. Itsekiri Kingdom
\u200e6. Okere-Urhobo Kingdom
\u200e7. Agbarha Kingdom
\u200e
\u200eThese laws and institutional recognitions invalidates Itsekiri false and fraudulent claims over Ogbe-Ijoh, Gbaramatu, Isaba, Diebiri, Egbema, Okere-Urhobo and Agbarha lands and Warri Federal Constituency.
\u200e
\u200eConclusion: INEC Must Act Now
\u200e
\u200eINEC must immediately:
\u200e1. Disregard Itsekiri falsehoods that misrepresent history and misuse court judgments.
\u200e2. Publish the completed delineation field report for Warri Federal Constituency.
\u200e3. Commence fresh voter registration, based on the new and lawful ward structures.
\u200e
\u200eFailure to act constitutes complicity in an unconstitutional disenfranchisement of Ijaw people and a breach of a binding Supreme Court order. With the 2027 general elections approaching, time is of the essence.
\u200eThis is not just a legal obligation, it is a democratic imperative. The people of Warri Federal Constituency deserve to vote and be voted for under a structure that reflects justice, history and the rule of law.
\u200e
\u200eYours faithfully,
\u200e
\u200eEbiowei Kuro
\u200ePresident
\u200e
\u200eEzonkeme Owei
\u200ePublicity Secretary
\u200e
\u200eIJaw Stakeholders of Warri Federal Constituency.
\u200e
\u200eCc:
\u200eThe National Security Adviser
\u200eDelta State Government
\u200eThe Nigerian Senate
\u200eThe Senate President
\u200eHouse of Representatives, Federal Republic of Nigeria<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u200eBy Esther David OPEN LETTER TO THE INDEPENDENT NATIONAL ELECTORAL COMMISSION.\u200eDisregard False and Fraudulent Itsekiri…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":4230,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[671],"tags":[1091,1093,1092],"class_list":["post-4256","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-metro","tag-disregard-false-and-fraudulent-itsekiri-ownership-claims-of-warri-south","tag-warri-north-lgas-and-urgently-publish-the-final-ward-delineation-report-___rights-group-tells-inec","tag-warri-south-west"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/img_0448-1.jpg?fit=686%2C386&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":4768,"url":"https:\/\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/index.php\/2025\/09\/01\/this-tactical-delay-must-stop-announce-the-final-ward-delineation-report-for-warri-federal-constituency-now___group-blasts-inec\/","url_meta":{"origin":4256,"position":0},"title":"This Tactical Delay Must Stop: Announce The Final Ward Delineation Report For Warri Federal Constituency Now___Group Blasts INEC","author":"Freeborn Abraye","date":"September 1, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"By Esther David OPEN LETTER TO INEC AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF NIGERIA RE: THIS TACTICAL DELAY MUST STOP: ANNOUNCE THE FINAL WARD DELINEATION RESULT FOR WARRI FEDERAL CONSTITUENCY NOW From: Concerned Ijaw & Urhobo Stakeholders of Warri Federal ConstituencyDate: [1\/9\/2025] When Truth is Delayed, Falsehood is Empowered We write\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/img_0238-1.jpg?fit=935%2C578&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/img_0238-1.jpg?fit=935%2C578&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/img_0238-1.jpg?fit=935%2C578&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/img_0238-1.jpg?fit=935%2C578&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4775,"url":"https:\/\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/index.php\/2025\/09\/01\/itsekiri-propaganda-cannot-override-the-supreme-court-order-inec-must-announce-the-final-delineation-result-now___ijaw-urhobo-coalition-group\/","url_meta":{"origin":4256,"position":1},"title":"Itsekiri Propaganda Cannot Override The Supreme Court Order, INEC Must Announce The Final Delineation Result Now___Ijaw, Urhobo Coalition Group","author":"Freeborn Abraye","date":"September 1, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"By Uche Alvin OPEN REBUTTAL TO ITSEKIRI NATION\u2019S FALSE PETITION RE: WARRI FEDERAL CONSTITUENCY, ITSEKIRI PROPAGANDA CANNOT OVERRIDE THE SUPREME COURT. 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