• Implement Supreme Court judgment
• INEC ‘to address’ grievances’
The Ijaw and Urhobo communities of Warri Federal Constituency in Delta State have threatened to boycott the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) if the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) fails to implement the judgment of the Supreme Court.
The apex court had ordered a fresh delineation of electoral wards and units in the constituency.
A delegation from the two communities staged a peaceful protest at the INEC headquarters yesterday in Abuja to register their displeasure.
They claimed that the failure to abide by the Supreme Court’s ruling was part of a ploy to disenfranchise them in 2027.
The protesters said they were from Warri North, Warri South, and Warri South West local government areas, which are under the Federal constituency.
They accused the commission of failing to implement the judgment of the apex court, even after a field exercise, and refusing to release the report for implementation.
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The protesters carried placards with various inscriptions, such as: “Warri Federal Constituency: No Ward, No Units for CVR”; “CVR Today is Political Fraud in Warri Federal Constituency” and “INEC, Give Us the Final Report.”
Spokesman of the protesters, Chief David Reje, accused INEC of undermining the constitutional rights of the people by conducting the CVR with the “defunct arrangement” that the Supreme Court had nullified.
He noted that despite INEC’s field exercise and stakeholders’ engagements, which produced a new delineation report in compliance with the apex court’s judgment, the commission still failed to release and implement the final report.
Reje addedd: “Our patience and cooperation are being taken for granted as machinery has been set in place to disenfranchise us from participating in future elections.
“We can no longer wait while our democratic rights, guaranteed by the Constitution and reaffirmed by the Supreme Court judgment, are being eroded.”
The spokesman said his people might be compelled to occupy the commission’s premises until their demands were met.
He described the move as the second phase of his people’s “non-violent struggle to restore political dignity”.
According to him, the protesters were under “consistent pressure” from their people and could not guarantee that the agitation would remain peaceful if INEC continued to ignore the court order.
They urged the commission to immediately release and implement the delineation report and that the CVR should only proceed based on the newly approved electoral arrangements.
“We shall not stand idly by and watch our democratic rights and franchise being frittered away. A stitch in time saves nine,” Raja said.
Addressing the protesters, INEC’s National Commissioner, Prof. Abdullahi Abdulzuru, assured them that their concerns over the implementation of the Supreme Court-ordered delineation of electoral wards and units would be addressed.
He hailed the groups for adopting a peaceful approach in presenting their grievances and acknowledged receipt of their formal petition.
“I have listened carefully to your demands and read through your submission. I will tender the documents to the commission,” Abdulzuru said.
The protesters included Dr. Joel Bisina, Olorogun Victor Okumagba, Chief Godspower Gbenekama, Chief John Eramvor, Dr. Paul Bebenimibo, Chief Sylvester Femi Okumagba, Chief Arthur Akpodubakaye, Chief Wilson Ogbodu, Chief Emmanuel Serondi, and Mrs. Ann Gagiyovwi (JP).
Others are: Rev. Samuel Ako, Ambassador Jude Ebitimi Ukori (JP), Frank Pukon, Mrs. Vero Emmanuel Tangbewei, and Mrs. Margaret Ikinbor.