2027 Elections: Ijaw Youths Warn INEC Over Delayed Warri Constituency Delineation Report
Ahead of the 2027 general elections, Ijaw youths operating under the banner of the Operation Rescue Ijaw Nation Crusaders (ORINC) have cautioned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that continued delay in releasing and implementing the Warri Federal Constituency delineation report could heighten tension in the area.
The warning was issued on Wednesday during a peaceful protest at the INEC National Headquarters in Abuja. The youths said the prolonged silence surrounding the delineation exercise risks voter disenfranchisement and could negatively affect the conduct of the 2027 polls, particularly across the Niger Delta.
Speaking during the protest, ORINC leader Awipi Lawson said the delay has become unacceptable and has plunged affected communities into uncertainty, weakening public confidence in the electoral body. PulseNets learnt that protesters insist INEC’s inaction has created anxiety among residents ahead of the next general election cycle.
Lawson explained that many residents—especially among the Ijaw and Urhobo ethnic nationalities—feel unfairly treated despite repeated appeals and formal communications sent to INEC. According to him, the timing of the delay is especially troubling as political activities intensify ahead of 2027, with aspirants preparing to contest and voters eager to exercise their franchise.
He warned that failure by INEC to urgently address the issue could fuel frustration and deepen disaffection within the constituency.
“On April 4, 2025, INEC issued a resolution assuring us that the final delineation report would be released immediately. From that day till now, nothing has been heard,” Lawson stated.
“We have written letters, made publications, and followed every lawful civil process. INEC’s silence is the reason we are here today.”
He added that the group remains unsure whether external forces are responsible for the delay, noting that INEC had clearly promised a prompt release of the final report.
“We do not even know where we stand on this matter anymore. INEC assured us they would return immediately with the final delineation results, but till today, nothing has happened,” he said.
“This delay is already creating tension in the Niger Delta, because anything that affects Warri affects the entire region.”
Lawson further claimed that there is currently no legally recognised ward structure in Warri Federal Constituency, describing ongoing electoral activities in the area as invalid.
“As it stands, there is no ward in Warri Federal Constituency. Any electoral activity being carried out there is illegal,” he said.
“People are being registered as voters, but in reality, nothing legitimate is happening.”
According to him, the group’s core demand is the immediate implementation of the delineation report, warning that failure to do so amounts to systematic disenfranchisement of the people.
Meanwhile, ORINC spokesperson Ellington Bakumor told PulseNets that the delay is already disrupting electoral processes in Warri South, Warri North, and Warri South-West Local Government Areas of Delta State.
Bakumor recalled that the ward delineation exercise was conducted by INEC in compliance with a Supreme Court directive and involved all ethnic groups in the area, including the Ijaw, Urhobo, and Itsekiri communities. He said the prolonged delay has triggered suspicions of external interference and heightened public frustration.
“We have protested peacefully several times, written letters, and made public appeals, yet nothing has changed,” Bakumor said.
“With 2027 approaching, we are genuinely concerned that elections may not even hold in these areas if this issue is not resolved urgently.”
He appealed directly to the INEC Chairman and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene, warning that unresolved grievances in Warri could escalate into broader instability across the Niger Delta.
Also speaking, ORINC Deputy Coordinator Freeborn Abraye alleged that the existing ward arrangement disproportionately benefits one ethnic group to the detriment of the Ijaw and Urhobo communities.
Abraye explained that the Supreme Court-ordered delineation exercise was intended to address long-standing representational imbalances across the three local governments that make up Warri Federal Constituency.
“We are not asking INEC to favour any ethnic group,” he stressed.
“All we are asking is for the Commission to uphold the law and justice by implementing its own report.”
According to him, timely implementation would restore confidence, promote peace, and prevent marginalisation ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The Secretary of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Abuja Chapter, Johnny Torudonkumor, also called on INEC to comply fully with the Supreme Court’s directive, describing it as a constitutional obligation.
“The Supreme Court ordered INEC to conduct the exercise and release the report. Up till now, we are still waiting,” Torudonkumor said.
“If INEC has nothing to hide, there is no justification for withholding that report.”
Receiving the protest letter on behalf of the Commission, INEC Director of Security Mrs Ndidi Okafor assured the protesters that their concerns would be forwarded to the appropriate authorities within the Commission.
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“INEC is a constitutionally established body and will always operate within the confines of the law,” Okafor said.
“Your grievances will be duly considered, and I commend you for exercising your rights peacefully.”
PulseNets reported that the protest was organised by the Operation Rescue Ijaw Nation Crusaders over INEC’s continued delay in announcing and implementing the final delineation report for Warri Federal Constituency.
