Group Petitions CJ Over Fresh Case On Warri Delineation

A pressure group, the Warri Justice and Truth Forum, has petitioned the chief judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho, over an alleged attempt by some people from the Warri Federal Constituency of Delta State to make the High Court hear an appeal over the judgment of the Supreme Court.

The group made the allegation yesterday in a statement issued in Lagos and signed by Comrade Arerebo Egbejule (president), French Ikada (secretary) and Kenneth Ikoro (public relations officer).

It stated that since the Supreme Court delivered its judgment in Appeal NO. SC/413/2016: Hon. George U. Timinimi & Ors vs INEC on December 2, 2022, a group of persons representing an ethnic interest in the Warri Federal Constituency has been shopping for an injunction from different divisions of the Federal High Court to stop the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from implementing the judgment of the highest court in the land.

Giving specific details of the attempts, the group stated that on May 3, 2024, the Trustees of Ugbarajo Iwere Leaders Foundation approached the Federal High Court, Warri Judicial Division, in Suit No. FHC/WR/CS/46/2024 to apply for an interim injunction to restrain INEC from proceeding with the fresh delineation without informing the Court presided over by Justice I. M. Sani. Sani said that the Supreme Court ordered the process.

It said, “Upon becoming aware, some interest groups led by the Ijaws and Urhobos applied to join and brought the fact of the existence of the Supreme Court Order to the attention of the Court and the application for the interim order was rejected by the Federal High Court, Warri on 23/5/2024.

“When the attempt to obtain an interim order from the Federal High Court, Warri failed, these same persons representing the same ethnic interest approached the Federal High Court, Abuja Judicial Division in Suit NO. FHC/ABJ/CS/443/2024: Hon. Afejuku Appearance & Ors V. INEC applied for an interim order on the 2nd day of July 2024 to restrain INEC from going ahead with the Supreme Court-ordered delineation of fresh wards and polling units in the Warri Federal constituency of Delta State.

“Again, they did not inform the Federal High Court, Abuja, presided by Justice J. K. Omotosh, so the Supreme Court ordered the fresh delineation process. The Ijaws, who obtained the judgment from the Supreme Court upon becoming aware of the attempt to get the interim order, applied joa inder and brought the existence of the Supreme Court judgment to the attention of the Court.