A tense standoff between Itsekiri protesters and military personnel erupted recently in Ubeji, Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State. The protesters, who had gathered to express their opposition to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) proposed ward delineation, were dispersed by soldiers using tear gas.
The demonstration began in the early hours of the day, with protesters blocking the entrance to the Nigeria Gas Company and preventing workers from entering the facility. The Itsekiri people are objecting to the proposed ward delineation, which they claim marginalizes their community in the electoral system.
According to Mrs. Tsaye Mene, a spokesperson for the group, the delineation proposal favors the Ijaw and Urhobo communities in Warri South, while relegating the Itsekiri to insignificance. “The ward and polling unit delineation was done to disfavour the Itsekiri and ruin their political and socio-economic influence and relevance in the three local government areas and Delta State at large,” Mene emphasized.
The protest is the latest development in a long-standing dispute over ward delineation in the region. In December 2022, the Supreme Court ordered a fresh delineation of electoral wards and units in Warri North, Warri South, and Warri South West Local Government Areas. INEC has already begun the process, despite opposition from the Itsekiri ethnic group.
The situation, according to the protesters, remains volatile, with the potential for further conflict and unrest as the use of tear gas by military personnel has raised concerns about the handling of the protest and the need for a peaceful resolution to the dispute.
