The indigenous Warri Ijaw and Urhobo ethnic nationalities yesterday accused the Itsekiri ethnic nationality of working to truncate the intervention by President Bola Tinubu to resolve the ward delineation crisis in the Warri federal constituency.

At a joint media briefing by both ethnic groups yesterday (Sunday) the group lauded the President’s intervention by inviting the parties to a meeting which was attended by the President, the Governor of Delta State, National Security Adviser, the Director of the Directorate of State Security Services, Chief of State to the President and representative of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

They disclosed that at the meeting, the President, drawing inspiration from the national anthem, called on the Ijaws, Itsekiris and Urhobos of Warri to see themselves as brothers and sisters, though language and tough may differ. Mr. President called for accommodation and compromise by all the stakeholders in other to achieve sustainable peace in the Warri Federal Constituency of Delta State.

On the report of the Supreme Court ordered delineation of the Warri Federal Constituency presented by INEC on 20/5/2026, President Tinubu stated that, his consultation with the Governor of Delta State and other relevant government agencies is to the effect that, the problem was in the composition of Electoral Wards in Warri South West Local Government Area and that, there was need for re-adjustment of the INEC report of Electoral Wards created in Warri South-West Local Government as between the Ijaws and Itsekiris to a ratio of Eleven (11) to the Ijaws and 9 (Nine) to the Itsekiris.

They stated that INEC report of 20th May, 2026 on Registration Areas/Electoral Wards composition/structure for Warri North and Warri South Local Government Areas was not discussed and remained untouched.

The President directed that there should be Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on power sharing and rotation in the Warri Federal Constituency of Delta State. In this respect, the National Security Adviser (NSA), Malam Nuhu Ribadu and two representatives each from Ijaw, Itsekiri and Urhobo were directed to draft the Memorandum of Understanding on Power Sharing and Rotation in the Warri Federal Constituency of Delta State.

They said the directive of President Tinubu was accepted by representatives of Ijaw, Itsekiri and Urhobo Ethnic Nationalities, who thanker the President for the timely and high-level intervention and promised to work with the NSA to come up with the MOU on Power Sharing/Rotation in the Warri Federal Constituency of Delta State.

According to them, the representatives of Ijaw, Itsekiri and Urhobo of Warri Federal Constituency of Delta State met with the NSA, Nuhu Ribadu with the Director of the State Security Services in attendance to draft and sign the MOU on Power Sharing and Rotation of Officers on June 12, 2026 at the NSA Conference Room, Office of the NSA, Abuja.

The Ijaws were represented by His Excellency, Dcn. Kingsley Otuaro and Dr. Eric K. Omare; Itsekiris represented by A. S. Mene and Chief Robinson Ariyo and Urhobos by Olorogun Victor Okumagba and Chief Westham Adehor.

They disclosed that at the meeting, representatives of the ethnic nationalities were asked to present their proposal for power sharing in the Warri Federal Constituency. The Ijaws and Urhobos in response proposed for the sharing/rotation of the House of Representatives Seats for Warri Federal Constituency 1 and Warri Federal Constituency 11, the Chairmanship of Warri North, Warri South West and Warri South Local Government Areas and appointment of Commissioners in all the three Local Government Areas to be rotated/shared.

However, they said the Itsekiris opposed the inclusion of rotation of Warri Federal Constituency 1, Chairmanship of the three Warri Local Government Areas and Commissioner appointment on the basis that the Presidential Directive applies to only the rotation of the proposed Warri Federal Constituency 11 and that the other issues are within the constitutional authority of the Delta State Government to mediate.

The ijaw and Urhobos said the opposition of the inclusion of rotation of Warri Federal Constituency 1 was an obvious ploy by the Itsekiris to truncate the Presidential intervention and signing of MOU to resolve the issues arising from the implementation of the Supreme Court ordered fresh delineation of Warri Federal Constituency of Delta State.

“We must state that, the conduct of the Itsekiri delegation was a complete disrespect to the Person and Office of the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces who called for holistic power sharing in the Warri Federal Constituency without exceptions for sustainable peace.

” In the circumstances, the Ijaws and Urhobos of Warri Federal Constituency of Delta State on the advise of the National Security Adviser, Malam Nuhu Ribadu and as mark of respect for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu agreed to entering the Memorandum of Understanding in respect of the area of agreement which is the proposed Warri Federal Constituency 11 to enable the completion of the Supreme Court ordered fresh delineation process considering the time table for the conduct of the 2027 general elections set by INEC“, they stated

The ijaw and Urhobo said they reluctantly accepted the intervention of the President and Commander-in-Chief in respect of the alteration to the Registration Areas/Electoral Wards in Warri South West Local Government Area as mark of respect for the President and in the interest of peace.

That they would not accept any further alteration to the INEC’s delineation report presented to stakeholders on the 20th day of May, 2025 with respect to the Registration Areas/Electoral Wards Composition between the ethnic nationalities in the different Local Government Areas, names of Registration Areas, Polling Units Composition or any other form of alteration to the report.

They warned that NEC must not do any alteration to the May 20, 2026 report in any form whatsoever and under any circumstances.

They noted that the Itsekiris are still unsatisfied despite the political interventions that have altered the INEC delineation report in their favour.

They urged INEC to upload the report of the Registrations Areas/Polling Units into its portal without further delay and commence a special registration and transfer of voters to the newly created Registration Areas and Polling Units in the Warri Federal Constituency of Delta State.

They stressed that any further delay in the implementation of the delineation report and attempt to alter the report would amount to betray of trust by the Federal Government and INEC, and we should not be blamed for the likely consequences that would follow.

The Ijaw and Urhobo leaders who signed the statement included Chief Godspower Gbenekama, Olorogun Victor Okumaga, Chief Denbo-Denbofa Owikporodo, Chief John Eranvo, Chief Arthur Akpodubakaye, David Reje, Samuel Ako.