From Ben Dunno & Joe Obukata, Warri
Prominent leaders of Ijaw and Urhobo ethnic nationalities in Warri Federal Constituency, have warned of an imminent shut down of oil and gas production in their various communities should Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) continue to renege in carrying out Supreme Court judgement of fresh ward delineations in their areas.
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Issuing the warning at a joint Press Conference held in Warri, yesterday, the ethnic groups who expressed concern over the continuous delay of INEC to release results of the ward delineations exercise it embarked upon few months ago, threatened to make the country pay, as they have all it takes to stop oil and gas production on their land.
They claimed that following the series of stakeholders meetings held with INEC on the issue prior to 2023 general election and after, INEC assured of complying with the Supreme Court judgement but has failed to keep its promises based on eternal manipulation impeding on INEC from carrying out its statutory responsibility as it affects the political structures of the area and freedom of their people.
While warning that “Enough is Enough” of these external forces influence on INEC, they threatened not to hesitate in making ‘Nigeria Pay’ should INEC fail to heed their warning to complete the exercise and initiate a new voters registration in the Warri federal constituency.
They stated that 90 per cent of Nigeria’s oil and gas reserves are located in Ijaw and Urhobo territory, and that Nigeria would suffer the consequences if some powerful forces manipulate INEC to truncate the ongoing ward delineation exercise in the Warri federal constituency.
In a joint statement read by Olorogun Victor Okumagba, JP, Hon. Deinbofa Oweikpodor, and signed by Dr. Joel Bisina, Dr. Paul Bebenimibo, Chief Arthur Akpodubakaye, Rev. Samuel Ako, Chief Emmanuel Sekondi, Hon. Frank Pukon, and several others, described INEC’s violation of the Supreme Court judgement as denial of their political power in the current political dispensation.
They stated that the Supreme Court’s judgment mandating INEC to carry out fresh ward delineations in their areas presupposes that the existing units and wards were flawed and do not meet statutory requirements for credible future elections, adding that failure to comply could be interpreted as deliberate and calculated attempt to perpetually enslave their people.
“Therefore, the call for Continuous Voters Registration in the Warri Federal Constituency can best be described as criminal, illegal and contemptuous of the Supreme Court judgement by INEC, as there are no longer existing electoral wards and units upon which the ongoing voter’s registration can stand”, they stated.
They quoted Lord Denning in the landmark case of UAC Vs McToy (1963) “You cannot put something on nothing and expect it to stand”.
They demanded that INEC should immediately release and implement the report painstakingly embarked upon by stakeholders, adding, “We shall not idly stand by and watch our democratic rights and franchise fretted away by INEC’s lawlessness and disastrous irresponsibility. A stitch in time saves nine.”
The post Ward delineation: We’ll make Nigeria pay if INEC fails to comply – Ijaw, Urhobo warn appeared first on The Sun Nigeria.
