By Jose Oby 
WARRI, Nigeria – June 17, 2025 —
The Warri Reclamation Thrust has raised alarm over what it describes as a “monumental fraud” perpetrated by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in its proposed ward delineation for Warri Federal Constituency. The group alleges that INEC’s actions, presented to stakeholders on April 4, 2025, amount to a calculated scheme to distort demographic and territorial structures in favor of Ijaw and Urhobo ethnic groups at the expense of the Itsekiri people.
In a detailed exposé released by the group, INEC is accused of manipulating geographic data and importing false coordinates to reconfigure electoral boundaries in a way that fundamentally undermines the political relevance and land rights of the Itsekiri ethnic nationality.
Fraudulent Importation of Coordinates and Communities
The Warri Reclamation Thrust alleges that INEC illegally imported coordinates from outside Warri Federal Constituency to inflate the electoral strength of certain groups. Specifically:
- Coordinates from Ughelli South, Udu, Burutu, and Uvwie LGAs were reportedly imported into Warri South and Warri South West to create new voting units and wards favoring Ijaw and Urhobo populations.
- Communities from Ilaje and Ese-Odo LGAs in Ondo State, as well as fishing camps in Edo State, were also allegedly included in INEC’s delineation plans for Warri North LGA. These territories, the group insists, lie outside Delta State and their inclusion amounts to unconstitutional annexation.
Suppression of Itsekiri Communities
According to the statement, INEC systematically omitted or downgraded historically established and populous Itsekiri communities:
- Ukpokiti in Omadino, which lies some 20 kilometers from Ogunu, was merged into the latter in a move the group describes as “ahistorical and fraudulent.”
- Ubeji/Egbokodo, a large population center, was reportedly suppressed in favor of Edjeba, which has significantly less landmass and population.
- Ugbuwangue, another densely populated Itsekiri community, was denied ward status, while Ogunu was upgraded to a standalone ward.
- A fictitious community named “Okpe” was said to have been created within the GRA Ward, an Itsekiri-dominated zone, to enhance Urhobo representation.
The group also condemned the renaming of Itsekiri settlements using Ijaw prefixes such as “Gbene,” calling it a deliberate attempt at cultural and territorial erasure.
Questionable Demographic Data
The Warri Reclamation Thrust asserts that INEC’s field officers ignored verified population centers and inserted false demographic information into the delineation process. “Over 99.9% of the data published by INEC is fraudulent,” the group claimed, citing internal analyses and legal land ownership records.
Legal and Political Repercussions
The group warned that the consequences of this manipulation go beyond electoral concerns. It cited the 2025 Supreme Court ruling on the Isaba land dispute as a precedent, suggesting that altered ward boundaries could eventually be used to make legal claims to Itsekiri lands.
They also raised concerns about potential diversion of electoral materials, misallocation of votes, and long-term territorial disputes that could arise from the reconfiguration.
Urgent Call to Stakeholders
The Warri Reclamation Thrust has issued a public alert to several critical stakeholders, including:
- The governments of Edo and Ondo States
- Chairmen of Ughelli South, Udu, Uvwie, and Burutu LGAs
- Traditional rulers including the Oba of Benin, the Ovie of Ughelli, and others
- Civil society organizations, the Nigerian Bar Association, and international observers
They argue that the illegal annexation of territories through falsified coordinates represents a broader threat to Nigeria’s federal structure and democratic integrity.
Demands
The group is calling for:
- Immediate nullification of the INEC delineation report for Warri Federal Constituency
- A full-scale investigation into INEC field officers and coordinators involved in the exercise
- Prosecution of all officials found guilty of data falsification and breach of the Electoral Act
- A transparent and lawful delineation process guided by constitutional boundaries, court rulings, and established community records
“This is not a false alarm,” the group emphasized. “The fraud is real, and the consequences are grave. If left unchecked, this sets a dangerous precedent — not just for Delta State, but for the entire nation.”
The Warri Reclamation Thrust concluded by urging all communities and ethnic nationalities whose lands were included without consent to file formal petitions with INEC leadership and demand immediate redress. As of this publication, INEC has not publicly responded to the allegations.