By Peter Onyekachukwu 
***Warri South-West: Ugborodo, Protest ‘Plot to Marginalize Itsekiri Nation
By Peter Onyekachukeu, Warri
DELTA: Tension flared in Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State as indigenes of Ugborodo communities shut down operations at the Ogidigben 28,000 Barrels Per Day Oil Production Facility belonging to shell, At Ogidigben Flow Station in protest against what they described as a calculated attempt by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to erase the political identity of the Itsekiri ethnic group through a controversial ward delineation process.
The protest is the latest in a series of disputes surrounding INEC’s ward delineation in Delta State. With legal battles ongoing and tensions rising, observers warn that if not swiftly addressed, the controversy could further deepen ethnic tensions in the oil-rich region.
Speaking on behalf of the Ugborodo community, former Deputy Leader of the Warri South-West Legislative Arm, Raymond Pira, While addressing journalists said the protest was not just about politics but about resisting a broad daylight robbery and deliberate oppression being orchestrated through a disregard for legal orders and a manipulation of population data.
Pira said, “We are protesting injustice and the unlawful behavior of INEC. A court of competent jurisdiction had already restrained INEC from going ahead with this delineation, and INEC itself swore in an affidavit that it would not proceed. But because they think we lack the dollars to bribe our way through, they are doing as they please.”
He accused the National Boundary Commission and past Delta State administrations of illegally removing coastal Itsekiri communities from strategic zones, thereby denying them access to vital federal opportunities.
According to him, areas such as Borodo and other Itsekiri territories were unjustly excluded from the 500-meter buffer zone of the Atlantic coast, while inland communities with no connection to the ocean, like Oporoza, were curiously included.
“What we are facing is the weaponization of bureaucracy against the itsekiri people. When our leaders discovered this injustice, they petitioned the National Boundary Commission. Thankfully, the court halted the process and ordered a fresh survey. But INEC has now introduced its own injustice through this lopsided ward delineation,” he added.
The communities allege that the new arrangement favors Ijaw communities by inflating their ward numbers while reducing those of the Itsekiri despite glaring differences in population and voter registration strength.
“In Warri South-West, where we used to have six Itsekiri wards and four for the Ijaws, INEC has reduced our wards to five and increased theirs to 14. What are the metrics for this? Are you saying the Itsekiri people have stopped reproducing while others are multiplying exponentially?” Pira questioned.
In Warri South, he said, the imbalance is equally shocking. “INEC has created wards for people who are not even indigenes of the area. Places like Miller Waterside and Maciver, which are not Ijaw territories, now host new Ijaw wards. Even our monarch’s residence has been moved under another ethnic domain. Is this justice?”
He further warned that no development or oil installation in their communities would be safe until the federal government intervenes.
“We protected these facilities even during past crises. We will not destroy anything, but we have shut this place down, and we’re prepared to do more if nothing is done.”
On his party, Victor Laju Udenju, National Vice Chairman of the Ogborodo community, echoed Pira’s sentiments, warning that the Itsekiri may be completely excluded from political relevance in Delta State if the delineation stands.
He said, “We operate 10 wards here six Itsekiri and four Ijaw. Now, INEC has reduced our six to five and increased theirs to 14. What exactly is the agenda?” Udenju asked.
“As it stands, no Itsekiri person from the three Warri local governments can become a local government chairman, House of Assembly member, or House of Representatives member. This is nothing short of an ethnic cleansing attempt through bureaucracy.”
He called on the federal government to step in urgently and compel INEC to reverse the delineation or at least initiate a transparent process involving all stakeholders.
He further said, “We will remain here until the federal government hears us out. We are not asking for anything more than fairness. Let INEC play by the rules. Population and voter strength should determine ward creation not dollars or ethnic bias,” Udenju said.