Dozens of Ijaw elders and youths from the oil-rich Niger Delta communities on Thursday stormed the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja, in what they described as a peaceful show of appreciation for the recent ward delineation in the Warri Federal Constituency of Delta State.
Clad in traditional attire and chanting songs of liberation, the demonstrators — drawn from the Gbaramatu, Egbema, Diebiri, and Isaba kingdoms, waved placards expressing gratitude to INEC for what they called a “transparent and long-overdue” boundary exercise. According to the protesters, the move has put an end to what they termed years of political marginalisation of the Ijaw people in Warri.
The rally was led by a community representative, David Reje, who said the delineation was carried out in full compliance with a 2022 Supreme Court judgment and after wide consultations with all affected ethnic groups , the Ijaw, Itsekiri, and Urhobo.
“Why we have come here is to appreciate you, to thank you for the good work you have done since 2022, after the Supreme Court judgment,” Reje told INEC officials. “Today, we have left our Egypt of political slavery to our promised land of political emancipation and dignity. Nobody will dictate a candidate for us anymore.”
His words struck a deeply emotional chord among the crowd, many of whom carried banners with phrases like “Freedom at Last!” and “Ijaw Votes Matter!”
Reje also pushed back against allegations that INEC failed to consult all stakeholders, insisting that several meetings were held in Warri and Asaba before the final delineation report was released.
The protesters were received by INEC National Commissioners, Prof. Abdullahi Zuru and Malam Mohammed Haruna, who commended them for their peaceful conduct.
“We want to thank you most sincerely for coming here as one of the major stakeholders in this discussion,” Zuru said. “We are dedicated to doing what is right as far as democracy in Nigeria is concerned. And God willing, we will ensure that democracy decides everything that we do.”
According to the delineation report presented in Asaba on April 5, Warri North now has 18 wards — 10 allocated to Ijaw and 8 to Itsekiri; Warri South-West has 19 wards — 14 for Ijaw and 5 for Itsekiri; while Warri South has 20 wards — 3 for Ijaw, 8 for Itsekiri, and 9 for Urhobo.
Meanwhile, in a separate statement issued Thursday by the National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, INEC clarified that the delineation remains a draft and is still open to feedback.
“The Commission reaffirms its commitment to fairness, equity, the rule of law and full consultation with all stakeholders,” the statement read. “We urge all parties to refrain from activities that may threaten the peace and security of the area.”
Though the delineation is not yet final, for the Ijaw people, Thursday’s protest in Abuja was not merely about ward boundaries — it was a historic outing for a community long yearning for equal political representation.
One elderly protester, Chief Timinipre Ekpokpo, standing under the scorching Abuja sun, summed up the emotion of the day: “We have come not with anger, but with gratitude. For the first time, we feel seen , we feel heard.”
