PRESS STATEMENT
IJAW AND URHOBO STAKEHOLDERS REJECT WAR NARRATIVE, BACK INEC, DEMAND FINAL DELINEATION RESULT
Concerned Stakeholders of Warri Federal Constituency have rejected claims portraying the Ijaw and Urhobo peoples as promoters of violence over the Warri delineation process, describing such narratives as misleading.
The group stated that the issue is justice, fair representation and constitutional compliance, stressing that the delineation exercise followed a Supreme Court directive and was carried out by INEC through field verification and community assessment.
They therefore called on the Federal Government, INEC and the National Security Adviser to immediately implement the final delineation result in line with constitutional and judicial directives.
Below is the Open Letter:
OPEN LETTER TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF NIGERIA, INEC, AND THE NIGERIAN PUBLIC
7/6/2026
RE: STOP THE DISTORTION, STAND BY TRUTH, AND IMMEDIATELY PUBLISH THE FINAL WARRI DELINEATION RESULT
We write with deep concern and growing disappointment over recent public comments made concerning the ongoing delineation process in Warri Federal Constituency, particularly narratives seeking to portray the Ijaw and Urhobo people as aggressors while refusing to address the real issues of justice, representation, historical truth and constitutional compliance.
The recent media narrative alleging that the Ijaw and Urhobo peoples are threatening war is both unfortunate and misleading. Such sweeping claims do not address the fundamental questions repeatedly raised regarding fairness, historical realities and constitutional representation in Warri Federal Constituency.
The issue before Nigeria today is simple:
Should constitutional justice prevail or should political pressure defeat truth?
The delineation exercise did not emerge from sentiment, propaganda or ethnic preference.
It emerged from law. It emerged from judicial authority.
The Supreme Court directed a fresh delineation process in Warri Federal Constituency in accordance with constitutional principles of fair representation and demographic realities. INEC complied by conducting field verification, visiting communities, identifying settlements, consulting stakeholders and assessing realities on the ground.
INEC entered the creeks. INEC saw the communities. INEC verified the settlements. INEC heard from the people.
The facts on the field cannot now be erased through media appearances, emotional narratives or historical distortions.
Warri is not the ancestral homeland of one people alone.
Warri Federal Constituency is home to co-existing indigenous ethnic nationalities, the Ijaw, Urhobo and Itsekiri peoples, each with distinct historical presence, settlements and traditional institutions.
Colonial records, intelligence reports, court proceedings and historical materials have consistently reflected the plurality of Warri and the complexity of its settlement history. Warri cannot be reduced into a single narrative designed to politically subordinate others.
For decades, many communities have raised concerns over structural political imbalance and underrepresentation. These grievances did not begin today.
That is precisely why delineation became necessary. That is precisely why judicial intervention occurred and that is precisely why INEC carried out this constitutional responsibility.
Attempts to frame every demand for justice as war or every constitutional disagreement as aggression do not solve problems, they deepen mistrust.
The truth must be confronted.
No democracy can survive where verified realities are buried to satisfy political pressure.
No nation grows when constitutional institutions are intimidated.
No peace survives where justice is endlessly delayed.
INEC must remain courageous.
The Commission must not surrender constitutional duty to propaganda, fear or pressure from any quarter.
The final delineation result should be immediately published in accordance with constitutional and judicial directives.
Justice delayed breeds suspicion.
Justice denied breeds instability.
Warri deserves peace.
But peace without fairness is temporary.
Peace without justice is fragile.
Peace without truth cannot endure.
We therefore call on the Federal Government, INEC, the National Security Adviser and all democratic institutions to stand firmly on the side of constitutional order and immediately implement the final delineation result for Warri Federal Constituency.
History will remember those who stood for truth.
The time to act is now.
Signed:
Dr. Peterson Ebigbagha
Coordinator
Ijaw Developmental Movement of Warri Federal Constituency.
Chief Faithful Odafe
Leader
Urhobo Community Defenders Justice.
Comr. Ebiowei Justice
President
Concerned Niger Delta Youth Forum.
Cc:
Director-General, DSS
Inspector-General of Police
Attorney-General of the Federation
Governor, Delta State
Media Houses
