By Admin 
Warri, Delta State — The Itsekiri National Youth Council (INYC) has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene in what it described as a biased and politically motivated ward delineation exercise conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) across the three Warri local government areas in Delta State.
During a peaceful protest held on Tuesday at the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) gate and the Nigeria Gas Company premises in Ubeji, Warri, members of the INYC voiced strong opposition to the recent ward delineation outcome.
The protest, however, reportedly turned sour following the alleged use of teargas and force by security personnel under the directive of the Delta State Government.
Addressing newsmen in Warri, the President Emeritus of INYC, Comrade Godwin Utienyin, accused INEC Chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu of compromising the delineation process in favour of certain ethnic interests.
He alleged that the delineation report was not based on actual field assessments but was rather a scripted and paid-for document influenced by individuals from the Ijaw ethnic group.
“We the Itsekiri youths are calling on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, and the Attorney General of the Federation, Chief Lateef Fagbemi, to immediately call the INEC Chairman to order,” Utienyin stated.
He further stressed that ward delineation should reflect existing structures and demographics, rather than arbitrary expansion or reallocation.
He questioned the basis used by INEC to redistribute wards in a manner that significantly reduced Itsekiri representation.
According to the group:
In Warri South West LGA, the original structure of 10 wards—six Itsekiri (175 units) and four Ijaw (157 units)—was changed to 19 wards, with the Ijaw now holding 14 wards and the Itsekiris five.
In Warri North LGA, the initial distribution of 10 wards—six Itsekiri (134 units) and four Ijaw (58 units)—was altered to 18 wards, with Ijaws now occupying 10 and the Itsekiris eight.
In Warri South LGA, which previously had no Ijaw-designated wards, three new