“You Will Not Erase Us”: Warri Youths Protest INEC Delineation

A large crowd of Warri youths took to the streets of Warri today, protesting what they decried as a deeply flawed and discriminatory ward delineation exercise by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The demonstration, peaceful yet loud in its message, underscored a powerful demand for fairness, inclusion, and respect for the political rights of the Itsekiri people.

The protest began at the Warri Club in the GRA area and moved through key areas, including Miller Waterside, Ugbuwangwe, and finally converging at Angle Park.

In a display of ethnic pride and civic resistance, demonstrators marched while holding banners that read ‘Our Wards, Our Voice’ and ‘Stop the Marginalisation,’ calling for a review of the controversial delineation report.

Leaders of the movement condemned what they saw as a deliberate attempt to diminish the influence of the Itsekiri nation through gerrymandering, asserting that the Itsekiris will not stand by while their political and cultural future is decided without them.

They claimed the recent INEC ward delineation report ignores both population data and historical boundaries, to the detriment of the Itsekiri nation.

“What we are witnessing is a calculated attempt to suppress our political power and erase our voice in our own homeland,” one youth leader declared passionately at Angle Park. “We stand here united not just for ourselves, but for future generations who deserve equal rights in this democracy.”

The protest has sparked wider conversations across Delta State and beyond, as traditional leaders, civil society groups, and political observers weigh in on the implications of INEC’s actions. Many are now calling for a full review of the delineation process to ensure that it reflects equity, constitutional order, and genuine representation.