Communities from Delta State’s Warri Federal Constituency have accused Nigeria’s electoral commission of disenfranchising them by failing to implement a Supreme Court ruling that ordered a fresh delineation of their constituency.
Representatives of the Ijaw and Urhobo groups stormed INEC headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday, demanding the immediate release of the commission’s final report on the redrawn wards and polling units.
Chief David Reje, spokesperson for the protesters, said the ongoing nationwide Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) was illegal in Warri Constituency until new boundaries were formalised. “We can no longer wait while our constitutional rights are eroded,” he said, warning that the demonstrators would continue occupying INEC’s premises until their demands were met.
INEC Commissioner Prof. Abdullahi Zuru received their petition, commending their peaceful approach and promising that the commission would act strictly in line with the law.
The Supreme Court had in December 2022 directed INEC to conduct fresh delineation in Warri North, Warri South, and Warri South-West local government areas following years of legal disputes over representation.
