By IN a dramatic escalation of tensions over ward delineation in Delta State, the Itsekiri people of Ugborodo have shut down operations at the Ogidigben Flow Station, a major Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) facility, in protest against what they call a “blatant and unlawful” attempt by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to disenfranchise their ethnic group.
Stonix News reports that the protest, which unfolded today in the heart of Warri South West Local Government Area, drew hundreds of Itsekiris from various communities in what leaders described as a “peaceful but resolute occupation” of the critical oil installation.
The protesters were armed with placards reading “Agbassa people are tenants to Itsekiri people. So they can’t have wards,” “INEC, return our electoral ward,” “INEC, stop this broad day marginalisation,” “The Itsekiri are the majority in the three Warris,” among others.
The protesters
Demonstrating their resolve to stay for the long haul, the protesters—numbering in their hundreds—erected large canopies and chairs on both sides of the Shell facility, with music blaring from a disc jockey, cows being butchered, and meals prepared to sustain the occupation.
Speaking to journalists in front of the Shell facility, Mr Raymond Pira, a former councillor and deputy leader of the Warri South Legislative House, voiced deep frustration with INEC’s defiance of a standing court order halting the delineation process.
“We are protesting INEC’s contempt of court and the injustice meted out to the Itsekiri people—not just Ugborodo, but the entire Warri Kingdom,” Mr Pira declared.
The protesters
“INEC swore in an affidavit that it would not continue with the delineation, yet they’ve gone ahead as though the courts don’t exist. Because we don’t throw dollars around, they think we can be erased.”
He pointed to previous actions by the National Boundary Commission under the last administration that allegedly removed Itsekiri communities from coastal zones, favouring Ijaw communities further inland.
“Communities like Oporoza and Ogbududu, far from the Atlantic, were included in deep-sea offshore benefits, while Ugborodo and others right on the coast were excluded.
The protesters in front of the flow station
That manipulation happened under the watch of an Ijaw deputy governor, Barr. Kingsley Otuaro,” he said.
Mr Pira described INEC’s new ward configuration as a demographic sleight of hand.
Mr Pira
According to him, the figures are not only inaccurate but strategically designed to marginalise the Itsekiri voice across Warri North, South, and South-West LGAs.
“In Warri North, we had six Itsekiri wards and the Ijaws had four. Now, the Ijaws have ten while ours rose only to eight.
“In Warri South, INEC has now given Ijaws—who have no historical presence there—three new wards in core Itsekiri areas.
“Even our monarch’s palace has been mapped under an Ijaw ward. How do you explain that?”
The protesters
Victor Laju Udonju, National Vice Chairman of the Ugborodo Community, also spoke to the issue, following a tripartite meeting with Shell and the Nigerian Army at the protest site on Wednesday.
“This is not just about numbers; this is about our future as a people,” Udonju said.
“INEC has taken our 10 wards and reduced them to five, while our neighbours now control 14. It’s a calculated elimination.
“As things stand, no Itsekiri can be elected chairman, assembly member, or even House of Reps in our own ancestral lands.
“We’re not leaving the flow station until the Federal Government listens. This is not just about Ugborodo. This is a matter for the Itsekiri Nation.
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“We are not against delineation, but it must follow the law. Dollars don’t create wards—population and voting strength do,” he added.
INEC is yet to respond to the allegations, while Shell has maintained a cautious silence.
Security forces, led by troops from the Nigerian Army, remain on high alert in the area, though the protest has been largely peaceful.
The Itsekiri protesters say they will maintain their occupation until the Federal Government intervenes and justice is served.
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