Following the ward delineation recommended for Warri Federal Constituency by the Independent National Electoral Commission, protesting Itsekiris have shut down a 28,000 crude barrels per day (bpd) facility in Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State.
On Tuesday, the protesters descended on the facility previously operated by Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) and recently acquired by Renaissance Africa Energy Holdings, leading to the shutdown.
Though the protest was peaceful, protesters comprising men, women, and youths stormed the facility with placards bearing inscriptions showing their anger over the recommendation by INEC.
The protesters alleged ethnic cleansing by INEC and their collaborators in Delta and called for the cancellation of the delineation.
The aggrieved Deltans vowed to spread the protest to other critical facilities and infrastructure in Itsekiri land to stop oil production if nothing was done immediately.
The aggrieved Itsekiri people are demanding the withdrawal of the proposal made by INEC regarding ward delineation in Warri Federal Constituency, saying proper delineation, which would take cognisance of the historical and legitimate names of communities in Warri South, Warri South-West, and Warri North Local Government Areas, should be carried out by INEC.
It will be recalled that INEC had, last Friday, unveiled the proposed delineated wards and polling units in the Warri Federal Constituency, in line with the Supreme Court’s judgment that calls for fresh delineation.
The Itsekiri Nation, however, rejected the proposed ward delineation in Delta State by the Commission.
At a media briefing on Sunday, the Secretary of Itsekiri Leaders of Thought, Mr. Amorighoye Mene, dropped the hint of a court action against INEC.
He said, “We expected INEC to consider the voting strength of the various ethnic groups that comprise the area — the Itsekiri, Urhobo, Ijaw, and other mixed-demographic areas — when delineating the wards and polling units.
“At a stakeholders’ meeting on Friday, INEC unveiled the proposed delineated wards and polling units in the Warri Federal Constituency, in line with the Supreme Court’s judgment that calls for fresh delineation.
“We were not allowed to speak or react at the venue of the unveiling, but we have looked at the report given to us, and the entire Itsekiri Nation completely condemns and rejects the work done by INEC.”;
