ISOPLOT Calls Out INYA, Urges Suspension of Warri Ward Delineation

The Isoko Political Youth Leaders of Thought (ISOPLOT) have slammed the Isoko National Youth Assembly (INYA) for losing touch with Isoko interests and serving external agendas.

In a statement on Monday, June 23, 2025, ISOPLOT expressed no surprise at the recent outburst from the factional Isoko youth group, the Isoko National Youth Assembly (INYA), which claimed to be the umbrella body for Isoko youths worldwide. INYA had condemned ISOPLOT’s position on the Warri Ward delineation crisis and their call for President Bola Tinubu to suspend or cancel the exercise altogether.

ISOPLOT warned that the the ward delineation could distort peace in Warri metropolis, Delta South Senatorial District, and the Niger Delta region at large.

According to the group, INYA’s response was designed to “pacify their paymasters”. ISOPLOT accused the group of losing credibility, integrity, and touch with the realities of the Isoko Nation.

The statement further criticized INYA for inviting a non-Isoko individual to chair and commission the Isoko Youth House, despite the presence of numerous Isoko elder statesmen, billionaires, politicians, and community leaders. ISOPLOT said this event exposed INYA’s loss of relevance and alleged sabotage of Isoko interests for personal gain.

ISOPLOT accused INYA of staying silent on key issues until now, only speaking up opportunistically on matters they once ignored. They challenged INYA to respond to an April 25, 2025, press release by the Delta Ijaw Progressives Worldwide titled, “Uniting for Change: A Call for Warri or Burutu Federal Constituency to Represent Delta South Senatorial District in 2027.” when Senator Joel Thomas Onowakpo, an Isoko man currently holds the seat after Ijaw Nation held it for over 20 years. ISOPLOT called on INYA to refrain from further statements, accusing the group of failing to protect Isoko interests.

On the longstanding demand for a second constituency for Isoko North Local Government Area, ISOPLOT acknowledged ongoing efforts by lawmakers and commended them. However, they criticized INYA’s silence on the issue until recently, saying the youth group’s sudden involvement was disingenuous.

ISOPLOT stressed that the year 2031 is critical for the survival and political viability of Isoko Nation. They vowed not to allow anyone or any group to diminish their chances. The group also emphasized that pipeline surveillance slots allocated to Isoko people are not gifts but their rightful stakes, as the nation produces over 400,000 barrels of crude oil daily. ISOPLOT warned against anyone trying to lord over Isoko by controlling the community’s patrimony.

The group expressed concern about deliberate attempts to undermine the ethnic balance among the three founding groups of Delta South Senatorial District Isoko, Itsekiri, and Ijaw. ISOPLOT believes these political maneuvers aim to elevate one group, particularly ahead of the 2031 elections when the governorship seat is expected to return to Delta South.

They see these efforts as attempts to weaken the Itsekiri’s political position, isolate them, and diminish their voice in regional decisions, a move that also threatens Isoko’s influence. ISOPLOT warned that if these schemes succeed, the fair political playing field that could allow Isoko to produce a governor would be compromised.

The youth leaders again called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to prevail on the National Security Adviser and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to suspend or cancel the ongoing Ward delineation exercise in Warri metropolis, warning it risks inciting restiveness.

ISOPLOT urged all Isoko leaders to unite swiftly and decisively, stressing that they cannot afford to remain passive given the difficult challenges ahead.