From ONYEKACHUKWU MELUWA, WARRI
Tension is mounting in the oil-rich Ogbe-Ijoh Kingdom, as the community has rejected the proposed ward delineation by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, accusing it of gross marginalisation and political suppression.
The community leaders at a press briefing yesterday in Tekedor/Kusimi (Egwa II), Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State, warned that unless the alleged injustice in ward allocation is urgently corrected, they might be forced to shut down major oil and gas installations within their territory.
Speaking on behalf of the community, Deacon Clement Tekedor described the latest ward allocation released by INEC on April 4 as a calculated move to silence the people who had long contributed significantly to Nigeria’s economy, but have been shortchanged politically.
“Out of the 19 proposed wards in Warri South West, INEC allocated only two to Ogbe-Ijoh Kingdom. This is not just unfair, it is an insult.
“We have over 40 percent of the population and the largest landmass in the area, yet we are left with just two wards. Meanwhile, Gbaramatu got nine and the Itsekiri got five. What formula was used?” Tekedor queried.
Ogbe-Ijoh Kingdom hosts several high-value oil and gas assets, including Egwa II Flowstation, Odidi Fields I & II, Ajuju/Batan, and facilities within OML 30, OML 42, and PPL 213, many of which contribute directly to Nigeria’s daily crude oil production.
However, the people said their economic relevance has been ignored in the political arrangement.
Another elder, Chief Samson Oyimi accused INEC of deliberate exclusion.
“This is not a technical error. It is a political agenda. Communities like Kusimi, Dudueghagbene and Boubougbene were completely omitted despite having polling units already in existence,” he said.
Referencing official data from the National Population Commission, NPC, the community argued that Ogbe-Ijoh holds 116 out of the 290 recognised localities in Warri South West, excluding Diebiri Clan.
They also pointed to INEC’s own March 2024 guidelines, which emphasised population, geography and contiguity as the basis for ward creation.
The leaders said their written protests to INEC had been met with silence, alleging that powerful forces within the commission are colluding with political actors to weaken Ogbe-Ijoh’s electoral relevance.
