{"id":4598,"date":"2025-08-07T15:47:30","date_gmt":"2025-08-07T15:47:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/index.php\/2025\/08\/07\/ward-delineation-your-delay-is-dangerous__warri-historical-truth-and-justice-group-tells-inec\/"},"modified":"2025-08-07T15:47:30","modified_gmt":"2025-08-07T15:47:30","slug":"ward-delineation-your-delay-is-dangerous__warri-historical-truth-and-justice-group-tells-inec","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/index.php\/2025\/08\/07\/ward-delineation-your-delay-is-dangerous__warri-historical-truth-and-justice-group-tells-inec\/","title":{"rendered":"WARD DELINEATION: \u201cYour Delay Is Dangerous\u201d__Warri Historical Truth And Justice Group Tells INEC"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

SOS TO INEC: YOUR DELAY IS DANGEROUS, HISTORY IS BLEEDING IN WARRI<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From: Warri Historical Truth and Justice<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To: The Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Abuja
Date: August 7, 2025<\/p>\n\n\n\n

WHEN JUSTICE IS DELAYED, FRAUD IS EMBOLDENED<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We issue this SOS not out of fear but out of historical fury.
We see what is happening. And so do Nigerians. INEC\u2019s silence on the final delineation result for Warri Federal Constituency is now enabling colonial fraud, elite manipulation and ethnic provocation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Itsekiri political class is desperately fighting to retain the disgraceful and unjust ward structure of 6 (Itsekiri): 4 (Urhobo): 0 (Ijaw) a structure that is not only undemocratic but already declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court of Nigeria in Timinimi v. INEC (SC\/CV\/1033\/2023).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why is INEC allowing itself to become a weapon of oppression?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

HISTORICAL FACTS: WE OWNED WARRI BEFORE GINUWA EVER ARRIVED<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is on historical record, from colonial anthropologists, Catholic missionaries and British consuls, that the Ijaw people of Gbaramatu, Ogbe-Ijoh, Isaba, Egbema, Diebiri and others occupied the Forcados, Escravos and Benin River regions centuries before Ginuwa fled from Benin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Ijos (Ijaws) are regarded as the aboriginal inhabitants of the creeks and swamps surrounding the Benin and Escravos Rivers. Their presence predates the arrival of the Itsekiri kingdom.\u201d
Captain H. Hughes, Intelligence Report, Warri District, 1924<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“The Gbaramatu and Ogbe-Ijoh clans are some of the earliest riverine communities. Their kingship systems are independent of the Olu.\u201d
British Colonial Resident Report, 1913<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When Ginuwa, a Bini Banished prince, arrived, it was Ijaw communities that gave him shelter, hosted his entourage and allowed him to settle on our lands. What he and his descendants did was convert hospitality into monarchy and over time, monarchy into territorial falsehood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

COLONIAL RECORDS NEVER GRANTED ITSEKIRI OWNERSHIP OF THE LAND<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let it be known: There is no single colonial map or survey that grants the Itsekiri exclusive ownership over Warri.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The land to the west and south of the Warri River is held by Ijo communities under native tenure. The Olu\u2019s influence is limited and often resisted.\u201d
Memo by Acting Governor Burdon to the Colonial Office, 1917<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So again, we ask INEC: Who gave the Itsekiri 6 wards?
And why are Ijaw people living on Ijaw land with far majority be denied through manipulation?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

LEGAL JUDGMENTS CONFIRM IJAW LAND OWNERSHIP<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  1. Omejor v. Dore Numa (1926) \u2013 The court held that Dore Numa was merely a leaseholder.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Ijaw Communal Land Trustees v. Shell-BP (1971) \u2013 Court ruled that Ijaw lands cannot be claimed or rented out by Itsekiri parties.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Ogbobine v. Shell (1973) \u2013 Court reaffirmed Ijaw title to oil lands in Gbaramatu.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    These are binding decisions. They affirm that the Itsekiri do not own the lands where they claim electoral dominance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    SUPREME COURT HAS RULED \u2013 WHY IS INEC STILL SILENT?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    INEC is under obligation to obey the decision of the Supreme Court. In SC\/CV\/1033\/2023, the court ruled:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    “A fresh delineation must be done in Warri Federal Constituency in line with historical, demographic, and geographic realities. The previous ward structure unjustly disenfranchises indigenous populations.\u201d
    “Supreme Court”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Yet, INEC initiated the process, conducted hearings, visited communities, received evidence and then froze.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Why? Who is INEC afraid of? Daisy Danjuma? Remi Tinubu? Thrown?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    THE DANGER OF INEC’S SILENCE: YOU ARE PLAYING WITH FIRE<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Every day INEC keeps quiet, the Itsekiri elites grow bolder:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Fabricating colonial tales<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Threatening electoral violence<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Disenfranchising majority populations<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Blackmailing Nigeria with their fake Olu crown<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    We remind INEC that no ethnic group has a divine right to political dominance. And no delay in justice can protect a lie.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    OUR FINAL DEMAND: INEC, OBEY THE SUPREME COURT OR BE READY FOR RESISTANCE<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    We, the Ijaw people of Warri Federal Constituency, hereby declare:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    NO FINAL DELINEATION RESULT, NO CONTINUOUS VOTER REGISTRATION (CVR)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    WE WILL RESIST ANY ATTEMPT TO RETAIN THE FRAUDULENT 6-4-0 STRUCTURE<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    WE DEMAND EQUITABLE REPRESENTATION BASED ON ANCESTRY, POPULATION AND LAND OWNERSHIP<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    WE WILL DEFEND OUR ANCESTRAL TERRITORIES WITH LEGAL AND CIVIL FORCE<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Let history speak. Let justice roar. Let the fraud end.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Signed:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Freeborn Abraye
    (Chairman)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Ebiotubo Wealth
    (Secretary)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Warri Historical Truth and Justice<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Cc:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The Executive President, Federal Republic of Nigeria<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The Senate President, National Assembly<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The Speaker, House of Representatives<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The National Security Adviser (NSA)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The Honourable Attorney General of the Federation<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The Chairman, Senate Committee on INEC<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The Chairman, House Committee on Electoral Matters<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The British High Commission, Abuja<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The African Union Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The ECOWAS Electoral Assistance Division<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The US Embassy, Abuja<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The EU Election Observation Mission (EU EOM)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    SOS TO INEC: YOUR DELAY IS DANGEROUS, HISTORY IS BLEEDING IN WARRI From: Warri Historical…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":4597,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_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}},"categories":[13],"tags":[1327],"class_list":["post-4598","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-ward-delineation-your-delay-is-dangerous__warri-historical-truth-and-justice-group-tells-inec"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/img_1745-1.jpg?fit=686%2C386&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":4733,"url":"https:\/\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/index.php\/2025\/08\/23\/the-historical-truth-about-warri-federal-constituency-ward-delineation-and-inecs-dangerous-delay\/","url_meta":{"origin":4598,"position":0},"title":"The 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