Socio-cultural organisation, the Warri North Itsekiri Rebirth Forum, has rejected the proposed ward delineation matrix allocating 10 wards each to the Itsekiri and the Ijaw in Warri North Local Government Area.

The group described the proposal as fundamentally flawed, saying it does not reflect the demographic strength and electoral realities of the Itsekiri people.

Representing the group, Solomon Mikie and Justice Akoyoma, among others, in a statement, also urged the National Assembly to scrutinise the proposed ward delineation before taking any legislative action.

The forum, in a statement, said: “We believe that this proposal is fundamentally flawed and does not reflect the demographic and electoral realities of Warri North LGA. We therefore reject it in its entirety and call on the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, not to implement what we consider an unjust arrangement capable of undermining the political rights and democratic aspirations of the Itsekiri people.

“INEC is expected to be an impartial institution that inspires public confidence through fairness, transparency and strict adherence to the Constitution and electoral laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“According to INEC’s 2023 Register of Voters, the Itsekiri people of Warri North have six wards with a total of 134 polling units and 75,912 registered voters, while the Ijaw have four wards with 58 polling units and 34,480 registered voters. Thus, the Itsekiri have the highest number of registered voters, exceeding the Ijaw by 41,432.

“It therefore raises serious questions as to how the commission arrived at an equal allocation of 10 wards each for both ethnic groups. We respectfully urge INEC to explain the methodology used and review the proposed delineation to ensure that it reflects verifiable facts, constitutional principles and its own official records.

“We also urge the distinguished members of the National Assembly to carefully scrutinise the proposed ward delineation before taking any legislative action. As custodians of Nigeria’s laws, members of the National Assembly have a constitutional responsibility to ensure that every process complies with the principles of equity, justice and democratic representation.

“Furthermore, we wish to express our disappointment with certain individuals who have purported to speak on behalf of the Itsekiri people on matters relating to ward delineation without consulting the communities they claim to represent.

“The Itsekiri people of Warri North did not mandate anyone to negotiate or enter into any agreement on this sensitive issue without broad consultation and the consent of the affected communities.

“Consequently, any understanding or agreement allegedly reached without such a mandate cannot be regarded as binding on the Itsekiri people of Warri North LGA. We are equally concerned that meetings reportedly held with various stakeholders, including federal authorities, were not followed by any meaningful briefing to the people.

“In view of these developments, stakeholders of the Warri North Itsekiri Rebirth Forum hereby declare that we no longer recognise those individuals as representatives of the collective interest of the Itsekiri people of Warri North.

“We therefore urge government institutions at all levels to engage directly with credible representatives who genuinely enjoy the confidence of the people.

“Finally, we wish to state in the clearest possible terms that the Itsekiri Rebirth Forum rejects the proposed ward delineation exercise for Warri North in its present form. We call on INEC to revisit the exercise in accordance with constitutional provisions, verifiable demographic data, and the principles of fairness, equity and justice.

“We appreciate the efforts of Mr President, the Delta State Government and all well-meaning Nigerians who continue to seek a peaceful and just resolution of the issues surrounding the ward delineation exercise in the Warri Federal Constituency.

“We also wish to express our grave concern over reports and complaints from numerous Itsekiri communities alleging incidents of kidnapping and unlawful detention, in which victims were reportedly taken to Oporoza and subjected to intimidation and torture because they refused to align themselves with the interests of certain individuals.

“These allegations are extremely serious and, if established, constitute grave violations of the fundamental rights guaranteed under the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“We therefore call on the President, the Governor of Delta State, the National Security Adviser (NSA), the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), and the Inspector-General of Police to immediately institute an independent and thorough investigation into these allegations and ensure that anyone found culpable is brought to justice in accordance with the law.

“We respectfully urge the Federal Government not to overlook these complaints because history has shown that when allegations of intimidation, violence and lawlessness are ignored at an early stage, they can escalate into broader threats to peace, security and national stability.

“Many of the security challenges confronting Nigeria today developed because the excesses of certain individuals were not checked at their formative stages. Preventing such situations through prompt, impartial and lawful intervention is essential to protecting lives, preserving public confidence in our institutions, and safeguarding Nigeria’s democracy.”

Fourteen registered political parties in Osun State have elected a new nine-member executive committee for a faction of the Inter-Party Advisory Council, IPAC, in Osun State.

The election was conducted through affirmation on Monday in Osogbo, the Osun State capital, in the presence of representatives of the participating political parties.

Chairman of the Democratic Leadership Alliance, DLA, Tosin Odeyemi, emerged as the new Chairman of the faction, while Prof. Adigun Adepeju of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, was elected Deputy Chairman.

Other members of the executive include Araoye Kazeem of the Action Alliance, AAC, as Secretary, Adesuyi Olufemi of the Zenith Labour Party, ZLP, as Publicity Secretary, and Mustapha Muideen of the Labour Party, LP, as Treasurer.

Dr Gbenga Afeni of the National Rescue Movement, NRM, was elected Organising Secretary, while Waheed Adediran of the All Progressives Congress, APC, emerged as Legal Adviser.

Tayo Adeyemi of the African Action Congress, AAC, became Financial Secretary, with Adebayo Olasunkanmi of the Allied Peoples Movement, APM, elected Deputy Secretary.

The election was attended by chairmen and representatives of several political parties, including the Action Democratic Party, ADP, Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, Social Democratic Party, SDP, and National Democratic Party, NDP. 

The electoral committee was chaired by the National Democratic Party’s Ezekiel Ayoola.

In his acceptance speech, Odeyemi said 16 of the 22 registered political parties in the state participated in the process, explaining that the decision to constitute a new executive followed the failure of the national leadership of IPAC to fill the vacant positions in Osun.

“This vacuum is causing concern among stakeholders, particularly with the gubernatorial election approaching. The absence of a functioning IPAC raises a critical question: who will serve as the official mouthpiece for political parties in the engagements and consultations preceding the election?” he said.

Odeyemi stated, “After due consultation, sixteen registered political parties in Osun State out of the twenty-two felt we should not allow our collective council to be hijacked by those desperate to put us in the coven of a political party.”

He added that the newly inaugurated executive had received the consent of the participating parties to serve as an intermediary between political parties and the electorate, pledging to justify the confidence reposed in the leadership.

“I want to appreciate our National Executive Committee of IPAC, my leaders and elders in Osun IPAC for this great trust; I will never take it for granted,” Odeyemi said.

He added that the executive would work to protect the interests of member parties and strengthen democratic engagement.

The emergence of the new executive followed recent disagreements within the council after some registered political parties rejected the appointment of a caretaker committee for Osun IPAC. 

The Caretaker committee is being chaired by Odesola Oluseye Titus of the All Peoples Party, APP.

The development created a leadership dispute within the umbrella body of political parties in the state.

DAILY POST had earlier reported that Odesola-led newly inaugurated IPAC caretaker committee of Osun IPAC had called on political parties to unite ahead of the forthcoming governorship election.

This is as IPAC also stressed the need for fairness, integrity and respect throughout the electoral process.

Speaking during the inauguration ceremony also on Monday, the caretaker committee chairman, Odesola Oluseye, urged members of IPAC to put aside their differences and work together to strengthen democracy in the state.

Oluseye said the approaching election required all political stakeholders to stand together in promoting peaceful participation and safeguarding the credibility of the electoral process.

A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, Kenneth Okonkwo, has claimed that President Bola Tinubu’s inability to provide his primary and secondary school certificates to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, disqualifies from being Nigeria’s president.

Okonkwo charged Tinubu to respect the Nigerian law governing qualifications into universities.

INEC had published credentials and other details of all presidential candidates contesting in the 2027 elections.

Tinubu had presented only his university certificate, while that of his primary and secondary were missing.

This has raised a widespread concern from Nigerians, raising fresh questions about his educational qualifications.

However, Okonkwo posted on X: “Nigeria has its laws that should be respected. No Nigerian is qualified to go to a University without 5 credits at the O’ Level.

“Tinubu purporting to be qualified for President by providing a foreign University certificate, which the University publicly declared did not emanate from it, without providing his secondary school certificate or its equipment disqualifies him from being President.

“The only reason our democracy is in peril is because of judicial rascality.

“Despite all warnings by the Chief Justice of Nigeria and the National Judicial Council (NJC), some judges have operated as an island on their own, interpreting the laws they made on the bench, bereft of the imprimatur of the legislature.

“The judges have usurped the powers of the executive and the legislature from the bench with the instrumentality of perverse judgement.”