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LAGOS SEPTEMBER 29TH (URHOBOTODAY)-The Independent National Electoral Commission has suspended all activities related to the delineation of electoral wards in the Warri Federal Constituency of Delta State.

INEC’s Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Victoria Eta-Messi, confirmed the development on Saturday to our correspondent, stating that the matter has been escalated to the Office of the National Security Adviser.

“This matter was brought to the attention of the NSA. So, at the moment, we cannot take any further action,” she said.

Despite the suspension of the delineation process, Eta-Messi noted that the Continuous Voter Registration exercise in Warri would continue as planned, relying on the existing polling units and registration areas.

“CVR is ongoing in the constituency, using the existing PUs and RAs,” she added.

The suspension came just weeks after a peaceful protest by members of the Urhobo and Ijaw communities from Warri North, Warri South, and Warri South West Local Government Areas.

On September 9, the protesters gathered at INEC’s headquarters in Abuja to demand immediate implementation of a 2022 Supreme Court judgment mandating a fresh delineation of electoral wards in the constituency.

During the protest, community representatives submitted a petition addressed to INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, warning that the ongoing voter registration exercise without implementing the court-ordered delineation was unconstitutional.

“We can no longer wait while our democratic rights, guaranteed by the constitution and reaffirmed by the Supreme Court judgment, are being eroded.

“INEC should immediately release and implement the report painstakingly embarked upon by stakeholders. We shall not idly stand by and watch our democratic rights and franchise fretted away,” the petition read.

The Supreme Court, in its judgment delivered on December 2, 2022, declared the current delineation in Warri was outdated and unrepresentative of the constituency’s population.

It directed INEC to carry out a comprehensive re-delineation.

In response, INEC initiated consultations in early 2023, with fieldwork concluding in July 2024.

A draft report was presented to stakeholders at a public forum in Warri on April 4, 2025.

However, a statement released by INEC on April 10 clarified that no final decision had been reached and invited stakeholders to submit feedback on the draft.

Online registration began on August 18, with physical voter registration following on August 25.

Punch

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