WIPM Accuses INEC of Bias, Alleges Arms Stockpiling, Demands Otuaro's Removal

The Warri Indigenous People’s Movement (WIPM) has criticised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of bias and non-compliance with its own guidelines in the ongoing delineation of electoral wards in the Warri Federal Constituency.

The group, which represents the interests of the Itsekiri ethnic nationality, staged a peaceful protest on Monday in Warri to express dissatisfaction with how the electoral body is implementing a Supreme Court directive for fresh ward delineation in the Warri Federal Constituency. Speaking after the protest, WIPM General Secretary, Comrade Monoyo Edon, told journalists that the commission had failed to adhere to the Supreme Court’s directives, warning that the move risks deepening ethnic tensions and repeating past injustices against the Itsekiri people.

Edon stated that while the Itsekiri people fully support the court-ordered delineation, they insist the process must be guided by fairness and transparency. He recalled the controversial 1997 creation of 12 electoral wards in Warri South Local Government Area, which was nullified by a Federal High Court ruling but remains unimplemented to this day.

“This is not the first time INEC has acted outside the law in Warri. We’ve seen it before, and we’re seeing it again,” he said.

The group also condemned what it termed as deliberate misinterpretation of the Supreme Court judgment by some Ijaw and Urhobo leaders, claiming that these groups have twisted the legal outcome to serve their interests. According to WIPM, their newfound alliance is being used to undermine Itsekiri land rights and influence the outcome of the delineation exercise in their favour.

WIPM also indicted some political actors for hypocrisy, stating that while they demand the enforcement of certain judgments, they continue to ignore others—particularly those affirming Itsekiri ownership of disputed territories and the Supreme Court ruling that the Nigerian Maritime University is located in Okerenghigho, not Okerenkoko.

They called for the removal of the Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Dennis Otuaro, alleging that he has used his office to inflame ethnic tensions. This follows Otuaro’s comments suggesting that Okere land belongs to the Ijaws.

Speaking further, WIPM decried attempts to draw the First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu and Senator Daisy Danjuma into the controversy because of their Itsekiri background, accusing their critics of ethnic bias. The group claimed that despite the significant number of federal appointments held by Ijaws in the current administration, some of their leaders continue to peddle misinformation and blackmail against Itsekiris in power.

Edon rejected claims that the Itsekiris are a minority in the Warri federal constituency, describing the narrative as both false and politically motivated. He insisted that Itsekiris are the only group present in all three Warri local government areas and that biometric voter data proves their majority status. “Apart from Okere-Urhobo, there are no Ijaw communities in Warri South. Itsekiris are the majority, and the BVAS figures confirm this,” he stated.

Beyond electoral issues, the group expressed concern over alleged arms stockpiling and illegal oil bunkering in Gbaramatu and Kurutie. They called on the National Security Adviser, the DSS, and other security agencies to investigate and disarm groups operating with impunity in the region under the guise of oil pipeline surveillance contracts before the situation escalates. The group also accused ex-militant leader Tompolo and his surveillance outfit, Tantita, of using their oil protection contract as cover for the harassment and torture of Itsekiri residents.

WIPM concluded by reaffirming its commitment to peace and the rule of law, but warned that peace must not be built on what it called deceit, oppression, and injustice. “We will not cede one inch of our ancestral land to anyone. Let the process be fair, and let INEC do what is right,” Edon said.