Ogbe-Ijoh Accuses INEC of Electoral Ward Bias, Threatens Oil Shutdown

The people of Ogbe-Ijoh in Warri South West Local Government Area have threatened to shut down major oil facilities over alleged discrepancies in the allocation of electoral wards by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the area.

The Ijaw-speaking people, has rejected INEC’s recent delineation exercise, which allocated only two out of 19 proposed electoral wards to Ogbe-Ijoh. In contrast, Gbaramatu Kingdom received nine wards, and the Itsekiri Communities were given five. Ogbe-Ijoh leaders argue this distribution does not reflect their significant population size and landmass and violates both a Supreme Court directive and the Electoral Act 2022.

Ogbe-Ijoh leaders further accused some senior INEC officials of intentionally delaying or obstructing efforts to rectify the alleged injustice. They claim these officials are working with local political actors to weaken the kingdom’s representation and undermine its political strength.

Despite sending multiple complaints to INEC, Ogbe-Ijoh leaders say they have yet to receive a satisfactory response.

“We have no choice but to act,” said Chief Samson Oyimi, spokesperson for the kingdom. “If INEC continues to ignore our demands for fairness, we will have to take extreme measures, including shutting down oil production in our communities.”

As a result, the people are demanding the creation of eight wards and has warned of serious consequences if their demand is ignored.

This development follows earlier calls for the review of the same delineation process by the Itsekiri ethnic group. Itsekiri leaders had accused INEC of colluding with individuals from neighbouring Gbaramatu Kingdom in a plot to land grab disguised as ward creation. They allege that the delineation overlaps Itsekiri lands and threatens their political and territorial integrity.

The Itsekiri are also demanding a thorough review of the delineation exercise, insisting that the process be realigned with legal requirements and accurate demographic data to prevent further unrest in the region. With Ogbe-Ijoh now joining the call and threatening to shut down its oil facilities, INEC faces increased pressure to address these concerns promptly before tensions escalate. So far, INEC has not responded to the latest allegations.