The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has officially released the Supreme Court-ordered ward delineation for Warri Federal Constituency comprising Warri South, Warri South-West, and Warri North local government areas of Delta State, in what appeared as a compromise, and in what is conceived in certain quarters as an attempt by the Commission to douse the escalation of tension in the constituency.

The released fresh ward delineation report presented by the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Delta State, Etekamba Unoren, alongside the supervising National Commissioner for Delta, Edo, and Cross River States, during an emergency stakeholders’ meeting in the state capital, Asaba, on Wednesday (May 20, 2026) there were adjustments from its earlier report that was rejected by the Itsekiri ethnic nationality, but accepted by the Urhobo and Ijaw ethnic nationalities, the indigenous groups habiting the area.

The new arrangement now has Warri South allotted 20 wards, an increase from the previous 12 wards with Urhobo (nine wards), Itsekiri (eight wards), and Ijaw (three wards). Warri North 20, up from 10 wards evenly split between the Itsekiri (Warri North I) and Ijaw (Warri North II) ethnic groups; but with Warri South-West posing a different scenario with 20 wards, up from 10, with the Ijaw (Warri SW I) having 13 wards and the Itsekiri (Warri SW II) seven wards.

There are also other developments. For instance, Warri South now has two state House of Assembly constituencies, with the Itsekiri ethnic nationality retaining one constituency, while the Ijaw and Urhobo groups now share another constituency. Warri North and Warri South-West are no different, as they also have two state constituencies. However, for Warri North and Warri South-West Federal Constituency, INEC announced the proposed creation of an additional House of Representatives seat, subject to constitutional amendment by the National Assembly.

Recall that in its earlier released report on the outcome of the re-delineation exercise in obedience of the Supreme Court judgement, INEC declared that in Warri South LGA, which consists of 20 wards, the Ijaw occupies 3 wards, the Itsekiri 8 wards, and the Urhobo 9 wards; Warri North LGA, out of a total of 18 electoral wards, the Ijaw ethnic group accounts for 10, while the Itsekiri group holds 8; and in Warri South-West LGA, which comprises 19 wards, the Ijaw dominates with 14 wards, compared to 5 wards attributed to the Itsekiri. 

The latest released report by INEC, which comes after years of legal battles, protests, and agitations by the various ethnic nationalities over political representation and electoral structure within the Warri Federal Constituency, is no doubt a smart move to balance the scale in one of the most fragile contituencies in the state.

However, while INEC might seem to succeed in reducing tension among the ethnic nationalities in the Warri Federal Constituency, its action is yet to see to an end more agitations as all sides still see grey areas in the report.

For instance, the Itsekiri Leaders of Thought (ILOT) in a statement by its Secretary, Sir Amorighoye Mene, faulted the fresh delineation of wards, polling units and state constituencies proposed by INEC, describing the process that produced the proposal as fraudulent, and alleged that the fieldwork and GIS mapping conducted by INEC did not comply with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), the Electoral Act 2026, and INEC’s own guidelines for the delineation of wards and polling units.

“While we acknowledge the judgment of the Supreme Court in Suit No. SC/143/2016 directing INEC to conduct a fresh delineation exercise in Warri South, Warri South-West, and Warri North Local Government Areas, we must clearly state that the Supreme Court did not declare the existing wards, polling units, or voter register as fake or fictitious," they argued.

Stakeholders from the Urhobo and Ijaw are yet to respond at the time of filing this report as it is believed that they are painstakingly studying the report. However, it is obvious that INEC, by its action, is trying to ensure a level playing field for all parties especially as there is no time as the clock towards the 2027 general elections is ticking louder by each passing day.

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