Ogbe-Ijoh oil producing communities in Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State, have threatened to disrupt further flow of oil and gas from the communities, if the injustice against them are not addressed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the shortchanged delineation of wards in their local government.
This threat is not unconnected to the seeming marginalisstion of its people over the Supreme Court ordered fresh delineation of electoral wards and polling units in the area by the (INEC).
In a statement signed on Wednesday by Deacon Clement Tekedor, Chief Samson Oyimi Emmanuel Kusimi, and Hon Johnbull Aniyanghan, the group noted that by the records of the National Population Commission (NPC), Ogbe-Ijoh has the highest population, landmass and settlements/communities in Warri South West Local Government Area.
The statement added that Ogbe-Ijoh Kingdom settlements and communities constitute One Hundred and Sixteen (116) Localities (after removing Diebiri Clan) out of the Two Hundred and Ninety (290) Localities in the entire Warri South West Local Government in the National Population Commission (NPC) Housing and Locality Enumeration Report, 2023, which represents about 40% of the entire local government area.
The communities added that there is no record anywhere showing that Gbaramatu Kingdom is five (5) times bigger than Ogbe-Ijoh Kingdom. “There is also no record anywhere to the effect that, the Itsekiri Communities in Warri South West are three times more populated and bigger than Ogbe-Ijoh Kingdom.
They however urged the INEC Chairman to correct the gross injustice allocating more wards to Gbaramatu kingdom and others.
The statement reads in parts: ” The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on the 4th day of April, 2025 released its interim report on the fresh delineation.
“To the utmost surprise of the Ogbe-Ijoh people, out of the nineteen (19) Registration Areas/Electoral Wards proposed for the Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State, only two (2) was allocated to Ogbe-Ijoh Kingdom, while nine (9) was allocated to Gbaramatu Kingdom, five (5) to Itsekiri Communities, two (2) to Isaba Kingdom and one (1) to Diebiri Clan.
“In addition, Ogbe-Ijoh Oil Producing Communities with existing polling units like Tekedor/Kusimi were suppressed with fictitious communities included in their places in the map that was drawn up by INEC.
“Other Ogbe-Ijoh oil producing communities suppressed are Kusimi, Eweregbene, Boubougbene, Dudueghagbene and Dubelegbene. This was done with a view to make some Kingdoms like Gbaramatu Kingdom look big and make Ogbe-Ijoh Kingdom look smaller than its actual size.
“However, the interim report released by INEC runs contrary to all the Criteria contained in its Guidelines on the fresh delineation, especially population which is the foundation for the fresh delineation of registration areas.
Despite Ogbe-Ijoh Kingdom, having the highest population of about 40%, we were allocated only two (2) out of the nineteen (19) Registration areas/electoral wards proposed for Warri South West LGA.
“The question, we are asking INEC is, what criteria did you use in allocating Registration Areas/Electoral Wards in Warri South West LGA? How did INEC arrive at the decision to allocate only two (2) Registration Areas/Electoral Wards to Ogbe-Ijoh and allocated nine (9) to Gbaramatu Kingdom? Is INEC saying that Gbaramatu Kingdom is five (5) times populated and bigger than Ogbe-Ijoh Kingdom? Also, is INEC saying that the Itsekiri Communities in Warri South West Local Government Area are three (3) times bigger and populated than Ogbe-Ijoh Kingdom?
“We the oil producing Communities of Ogbe-Ijoh Kingdom make bold to state that, there is no record anywhere which shows that Gbaramatu Kingdom is five (5) times bigger than Ogbe-Ijoh Kingdom. There is also no record anywhere to the effect that, the Itsekiri Communities in Warri South West are three times more populated and bigger than Ogbe-Ijoh Ogbe-Ijoh Kingdom.
On the contrary, the available records by the National Population Commission which is the body empowered to keep records of population, localities and housing data in Nigeria shows that, Ogbe-Ijoh Kingdom is more populated with actual localities/communities than all other Kingdoms and ethnic groups in Warri South West Local Government Area.
“It is on the basis of the foregoing that, we question how INEC arrived at the decision to allocate only two (2) Registration areas/Electoral Wards to Ogbe-Ijoh Kingdom and at the same time allocated nine (9) and five (5) Registration Areas/Electoral Wards to Gbaramatu Kingdom and Itsekiri Communities respectively, that are not populated than Ogbe-Ijoh Kingdom?
It is more worrisome that, the Ogbe-Ijoh Kingdom and its Oil Producing Communities have separately written to INEC to address the gross and monumental injustice against us.
” However, some powerful persons in INEC who in the first place carried out this act of injustice against Ogbe-Ijoh Kingdom are frustrating efforts at addressing this act of wickedness. The process of addressing complaints arising from the field work is still being controlled by same persons in INEC who carried out the injustice in the first place against Ogbe-Ijoh Kingdom and have again made recommendations that are worse than the earlier interim report that was released on April 4, 2025.
“We are aware that, these powerful officers of INEC are working with some political stakeholders in Warri South West Local Government Area. The purpose is to politically decimate and dominate the Ogbe-Ijoh people. We reject this act of wickedness and we shall use every means at our disposal to fight for justice. The Ogbe-Ijoh Kingdom and its oil producing Communities WILL NOT and WILL NEVER accept this injustice.
“Consequent upon the foregoing, we hereby resolved and call on the Chairman of INEC as follows:
We totally reject INEC’s proposal on the allocation of nineteen (19) registration areas/electoral wards in Warri South West LGA to the respective communities/kingdoms.
“The Ogbe-Ijoh Kingdom with the highest population, landmass and communities deserve eight (8) Registration Areas/Electoral Wards out of the Nineteen (19) Registration Areas in Warri South West Local Government Area in line with the Electoral Act, 2022 and INEC’s Guidelines/Criteria for the fresh delineation.
We call on the Chairman of INEC to address this act of gross and wicked injustice against the Ogbe-Ijoh people of Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State in the interest of peace and fairness.
“We shall be forced to take our destiny into our hands and cannot guarantee the further flow of oil and gas from our communities, if the injustice against us is not addressed. We will shut down oil and gas facilities in our communities, if this grave injustice against us is not addressed by INEC. “
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