Over 100 Urhobo and Itsekiri residents of Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State on Wednesday accused the Independent National Electoral Commission of failing to honour an agreement on the removal of alleged fictitious names and addresses from the area’s electoral records.
The protesters, who marched to INEC’s state headquarters in Asaba, alleged that the commission had introduced unfamiliar ward names, questionable polling units and fictitious settlements into the electoral structure of Warri South.
They warned that the alleged irregularities could affect the political representation of their communities ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Addressing the protesters, an Itsekiri leader, Samuel Meyiwa, said stakeholders had earlier agreed at a meeting held at the office of the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources that disputed names and addresses would be removed.
He, however, expressed disappointment that the list subsequently released by INEC did not reflect the understanding reached at the meeting.
“We were all at the meeting, and the understanding was that the fictitious names and addresses in Warri South should be removed. But INEC has released another list. So, what has happened to the agreement we reached?” Meyiwa asked.
He alleged that unfamiliar names and addresses had been included in the electoral records, questioning the basis for recognising settlements without verifiable ancestral homes or identifiable links to the affected communities.
Meyiwa said the protest was not aimed at creating hostility between the Itsekiri and other ethnic groups but was intended to demand fairness and respect for the agreement reached by stakeholders.
Similarly, the Urhobo representative, Eforele Marcus, accused INEC of introducing unfamiliar ward names and changing the existing electoral structure in a manner he said could affect the representation of the Urhobo people.
He argued that the different ethnic groups in Warri South had distinct ancestral settlements, which should be properly reflected in the electoral arrangement.
“They brought names that are not in existence in our communities. Some of the ward names are strange to the people of Warri South. I have never heard of them before,” Marcus said.
He also questioned the alleged creation of additional wards and polling units, saying the protesters wanted INEC to restore what they considered a fair electoral structure.
“We are here for INEC to correct the wrongs it has done,” he added.
Responding, the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Delta State, Sir Etekamba Udo Umoren, asked the protesters to submit their complaints in writing for onward transmission to INEC’s national headquarters in Abuja.
Umoren said the protesters should provide a detailed position paper explaining their grievances, previous engagements with the commission and the corrections they wanted.
“I have seen all the placards you are carrying. There are so many of them, and I cannot recall all the messages at the same time. I think it would be better for you to present your position to me in writing,” he said.
The REC assured them that his office would receive their complaints and forward the documents to the national headquarters for consideration.
He acknowledged their right to peaceful protest but warned against violence.
“I acknowledge your right to peaceful protest. The important thing is that we must do everything peacefully and avoid violence. At the end of the day, you don’t throw stones into the market when you don’t know who is inside. Violence is not what we need. Let us pursue our demands peacefully,” Umoren said.
Also addressing the protesters, the Delta State Commissioner of Police, CP Samuel Etaifo Erale, warned that the dispute could threaten peace in the state if not properly handled.
Erale, who said he had spent less than two months in Delta, asked the protesters to submit copies of their previous petitions and reports to his office.
He promised to draw the attention of the Inspector-General of Police to the matter.
“All the issues you have raised are new to me because I have spent barely two months in Delta State. You said you have submitted several letters. Please, bring your reports and submit them to my office,” he said.
“I will write to the Inspector-General of Police to inform him that this matter has the potential to cause trouble in Delta State and urge him to look into it.”
The police commissioner, who said he served as Commissioner of Police during the last governorship election in Osun State, assured the protesters of his commitment to maintaining peace in Delta.
He urged them to cooperate with security agencies, adding, “I am ready to replicate the same thing here in Delta State. Please, on my honour, do this for me.”
