Tensions escalated on Tuesday as Itsekiri youths took their grievances to the national headquarters of the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja. The protesters are demanding a fresh and transparent delineation of the Warri Federal Constituency in Delta State.
The demonstrators represented groups such as the Ugbarajo Itsekiri Youths and the Warri Reclamation Thrust (WRT). They arrived with placards and chanted solidarity songs, accusing the electoral body of injustice and political marginalization.
The protest centers on a delineation exercise carried out on April 4, 2025. According to the youth groups, this exercise was unconstitutional and designed to strip the Itsekiri people of their political relevance.
Joseph Okotie, the National President of Ugbarajo Itsekiri Youths, clarified that the group does not oppose the court judgment that mandated the delineation. However, he vehemently rejected the specific outcome of the process. Specifically, he pointed out that the exercise reduced Itsekiri wards from ten down to six.
“This makes us tenants in our own land,” Okotie stated. He argued that transferring traditional Itsekiri wards to other groups is a move that the community will not accept.
The protesters also raised concerns about the technical accuracy of the INEC report. Bright Omaghomi, the Convener of the Warri Reclamation Thrust, alleged that over 90 percent of the delineation outcome is riddled with errors.
Furthermore, Omaghomi claimed that several Itsekiri communities were renamed to favor other ethnic groups. He believes these changes were intended to tilt political power away from the indigenous Itsekiri people. He also expressed frustration with INEC’s leadership, noting that multiple petitions submitted by the group have been ignored. Because of this, the protesters stated they no longer have confidence in the commission’s previous assurances.
The groups warned that the current situation could lead to increased ethnic tensions in Delta State if left unaddressed. Tsaye Mene, the First Vice President of Ugbarajo Itsekiri Youths, described the exercise as “illegal” and called for its immediate reversal.
