Ward delineation: Ijaw communities protest, accuse INEC of exclusion | The Guardian Nigeria News

Leaders and people of Kusimi, Eweregbene, and Tekedor-Kusimi communities in Warri South council, Delta State, on Monday, protested the alleged exclusion of their communities from the list of communities in the Independent National Electoral Commission’s recent ward delineation exercise in the Warri Federal Constituency.

They said that their communities were omitted and replaced with fictitious or non-existent ones, describing the development as an affront to justice, democratic integrity, and their fundamental rights as citizens.

In a statement read to journalists after the protest, signed by the representatives of the three communities; Newman Kusimi, Joseph Dedetolu, Amb. Clement Tekedor, they made four demands:

That INEC must immediately reinstate the names of Kusimi, Eweregbene, and Tekedor-Kusimi Communities into the official list of communities in Warri South West LGA.

That INEC must recognise and create separate electoral wards for each of these communities, in line with their population and voting capacity.

They urged relevant authorities to investigate this act of exclusion and treat it as a violation of their constitutional and democratic rights.

They demanded that the media, civil society, and all justice-loving Nigerians stand with them in ensuring that fairness, transparency, and equity are restored.

They urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State, and Sylvester Oromoni, Chairman of Warri South West Local Government Council, to urgently intervene and address the injustice, saying their communities must not be excluded from the democratic process to which they are rightfully entitled.

They stated, “We are alarmed and disappointed by our exclusion from the list of communities in INEC’s recent delineation exercise in the Warri Federal Constituency. This omission is particularly disheartening given that our communities had earlier agitated for the creation of separate wards, based on our significant population and voting strength, which qualifies each community for such representation.

“Our communities are not mere settlements. We are constitutionally recognized entities with distinct histories, cultures, and legal status. Our existence is affirmed by judicial decisions, the National Population Census, and political and traditional institutions, including prior acknowledgments by INEC itself. We have always participated actively in the democratic process and contributed to the socio-political development of Delta State and Nigeria at large.

“Historically, our communities have been part of Ward 1 in Warri South West Local Government Area, represented specifically in Units 22 and 27. This has been the framework through which we exercise our democratic rights,” they stated.