Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, says it will on Wednesday, July 10, 2024, commence fresh delineation of wards and polling units in Warri Federal Constituency, comprising Warri South, Warri South-West and Warri North Local Government Areas in compliance with the December 2, 2022, Supreme Court judgement.
The nation’s electoral umpire affirmed their readiness to go on with the exercise at a stakeholders’ meeting for the implementation held on Monday, at the Government House Annex in Warri.
The last time the stakeholders from Warri Federal Constituency, comprising Warri South, Warri South-West and Warri North Local Government Areas met was in April this year.
Setting the tone for the gathering, the INEC Delta State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Sir Etekamba Umoren the calibre of representation at the meeting from the Commission’s Headquarters, Abuja, signposts the Commission’s readiness to commence field work on the fresh delineation of Warri Federal Constituency in compliance with the Supreme Court judgment.
Sir Umoren disclosed that over 50 persons, comprising technical officers and support staff from the National Headquarters and State office, are already on the ground, preparatory to moving into the three Local Government Areas, to commence fieldwork, from Wednesday 10th to 27th July 2024.
He, therefore, used the opportunity of the meeting to appeal to and encourage the stakeholders, participants, political class, elites, youths, women, traditional rulers, government both at the state and local government levels as well as security agencies to extend the spirit of brotherhood and peace to INEC staff deployed for the fieldwork.
INEC National Commissioner representing Edo, Delta and Cross Rivers States, Prof Rhoda Gumus and the National Commissioner representing Adamawa, Gombe and Taraba States, Dr Baba Bilal, gave assurance that INEC would be fair and unbias in the fresh delineation of wards and polling units in Warri Federal Constituency.
“We are ready. Right now we are having a meeting with the Focal people so that we can go ahead. The way forward is that we are ready to go,” said Prof Gumus.
The senator representing Delta South Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Senator Joel-Onowakpo Thomas, the House Representatives member for Warri Federal Constituency, Hon Thomas Ereyitomi and the Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Emomotimi Guwor threw their weight behind the fresh delineation and commended INEC for obeying the Supreme Court judgement.
Senator Joel-Onowakpo, who was represented by his Senior Special Assistant on Special Duties and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Andrew Egunoma particularly noted that the outcome of the fresh delineation will not only give the Ijaw, Itsekiri and Urhobo ethnic nationalities a better political platform but will also be a win-win situation for all.
“The three ethnic nationalities, Ijawa, Itsekiris and the Urhobos, are very peaceful group of people….. We may have been separated by geographical boundaries, but we must not forget the common socio-cultural, economic, and political bridges which have tied us together, and invariably our common values.
“Like we rightly agreed in our last meeting held in Asaba, we therefore urge the three ethnic groups to sensitize their people on the need for peace, unity, and a very stable enabling environment, to enable INEC carry out the proposed field delineation exercise,” Senator Joel-Onowakpo appealed.
Representatives of the traditional rulers of the Ijaw and Urhobo Kingdoms in Warri Federal Constituency wholeheartedly endorsed the fresh delineation of wards and polling units assuring INEC and the staff deployed for the exercise of the total cooperation of their people.
For his part, the Focal Point person for the Ijaws of Warri Federal Constituency, Hon Denbo-Denbofa Oweikpodor said, “We are very happy about the success of the meeting; not only this meeting but all successive meetings have been having they have been a success.
“We believe going forward, it will still be a success and we are happy about it. I don’t think there is going to be any setback.”
Other stakeholders who were part of the Ijaw delegation were Dr Paul Bebenimibo, Dr Joel Bisina, Barr Eric Omare, Mr ThankGod Seibi, Comrade Sheriff Mulade, Arc Sylvester Adowei, Barr Midwest Kukuru, Pastor Ako Samuel, Barr Ugah Kuounaah and Chief Clemnt Oromoni.
Warri Urhobo delegation had Chief Jackson Egbedi who represented the Urhobo traditional rulers of Warri South, Chief Westham Adehor, Comrade Mark Ikpuri, Chief Godday Onotor, Rev David Otofia, Chief Ann Egagiyovwi, Chief Isaac Emifoniye, Chief Matthew Opuoru, Mr Stanley Agbosa and Hon Obruche Obodo.
The Warri Itsekiri representatives had Chief JFK Omatsone, Hon Micheal Diden, Chief Robinson Ariyo, Esther Abrakata and Hon Godwin Abigor, Dr Andrew Omagbemi, Hon Godspower Etin and Hon Toju Ighonmeyetan.
