Intrigues, Betrayals, and Clashes Trail Warri Delineation Exercise
By Niger Delta Voice Reporters, Delta Correspondent
November 13, 2025
The air in the Senate chamber grew thick with tension on Wednesday as senators clashed over the controversial Warri delineation exercise conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)—a move that has opened old wounds of ethnic rivalry, political betrayal, and historical injustice in Delta State.
The motion, titled “Urgent Need for Intervention to Prevent Imminent Political Crisis Over the INEC Delineation Exercise in Warri Federal Constituency, Delta State,” sponsored by Senator Simon Lalong (APC, Plateau South) and co-sponsored by Senator Sadiq Suleiman (APC, Kwara North), triggered heated arguments that exposed deep political and ethnic divisions within the chamber.
At the heart of the storm lies a petition from the Itsekiri ethnic nationality, accusing INEC of bias and marginalization in its recent boundary adjustment. According to the petition, two Ijaw communities—Gbaramatu and Oporoza—which previously had one ward each, were increased to eight wards out of nineteen in Warri South-West Local Government Area, while the Itsekiri community, which had six wards, was reduced to five.
Senator Lalong, while presenting the motion, warned that the development had already triggered ethnic suspicion, community tension, and accusations of political manipulation, describing it as a “time bomb waiting to explode.”
He further revealed that the petitioners alleged INEC’s use of wrong geographical coordinates, some of which mistakenly placed Warri communities outside Delta State, within Edo and Ondo States. “Such errors,” he said, “not only distort local realities but raise questions about the Commission’s neutrality and competence.”
Senate Turns to Battlefield
The session, which began with calm deliberation, soon descended into chaos when Senator Joel Onowakpo-Thomas (APC, Delta South)—representing the affected zone—rose in objection. He argued that the matter was sub judice and already before a court of law, insisting that any debate would amount to legislative interference in judicial proceedings.
His objection was immediately countered by Senator Lalong, who claimed the motion was a referral from the Villa and not a partisan intervention. The rebuttal sparked a heated verbal clash between both lawmakers, each standing his ground amid murmurs of dissent across party lines.
Sensing the rising temperature, Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau (APC, Kano North), who presided over the plenary, swiftly intervened. He ruled that since the matter might be legally sensitive, it should be referred to the Senate Committees on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, Electoral Matters (INEC), Special Duties, and Ethics, Code of Conduct and Public Petitions for thorough investigation and report within four weeks.
Echoes of the Past, Shadows of the Future
The Itsekiri petitioners maintained that INEC’s delineation process not only violated fairness but also disobeyed subsisting court orders, including a 1997 interlocutory injunction and a 2003 Supreme Court judgment in their favor. They accused the Commission of acting in defiance of judicial authority and warned that the move could reignite old ethnic tensions.
Senator Lalong reminded the Senate that similar disputes over ward delineation had, in the past, sparked deadly communal clashes between the Itsekiri, Ijaw, and Urhobo from 1997–1999 and again between 2002–2003, turning Warri into a theater of blood and displacement.
He cautioned that the latest INEC exercise, if not reviewed, could “once again set the creeks on fire,” stressing that the mandate of INEC, as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution (as amended), is to ensure credible elections, not to alter ethnic demographics or manipulate boundaries for political ends.
“This issue is not just about numbers or polling units—it is about justice, equity, and peace,” Lalong declared. “Warri has bled before, and we must not allow her to bleed again.”
Intrigues and Political Undercurrents
Beyond the public debate, sources within the National Assembly revealed that the Warri delineation dispute has become a battleground of interests, with quiet lobbying, ethnic alignment, and accusations of betrayal rippling beneath the surface.
Some lawmakers, insiders say, see the motion as part of a broader political chess game ahead of the 2027 general elections, with factions allegedly using the controversy to strengthen their regional influence.
Meanwhile, within Warri itself, community leaders are sounding the alarm. From Olu’s Palace in Itsekiri land to the creeks of Gbaramatu and the riverine settlements of Ogbe-Ijoh, voices of concern grow louder. The people warn that if INEC’s delineation is not reviewed, old wounds could reopen, and fragile peace could collapse like a house built on shifting sand.
INEC Under Scrutiny
INEC has yet to issue an official statement on the Senate resolution, but the Commission’s silence has fueled more questions than answers. Legal experts have urged the electoral body to suspend all activities relating to the disputed delineation until a transparent review is concluded.
A political analyst in Asaba observed, “When fairness is questioned, democracy trembles. INEC must remember that every boundary line carries the weight of people’s lives, pride, and history.”
Between Peace and Peril
As the Senate committees commence their probe, the Warri delineation saga now stands as a test of Nigeria’s democratic balance—a contest between law and politics, ethnicity and equity, memory and peace.
For many in the Niger Delta, the echoes are familiar and haunting. As an Itsekiri elder aptly put it, “When the boundary shifts unjustly, the heart of the people shifts with it—and that is how crises begin.”
Whether this time the Senate’s intervention will bring healing or deepen the divide remains to be seen. For now, Warri holds its breath—once again standing at the crossroads of justice and betrayal, peace and peril.
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