Warri Delineation: Scheduled Peace Meeting Is A Joke Taken Too Far – Obiri

The planned peace meeting convened by the Delta State Government over the contentious ward and unit delineation exercise in Warri Federal Constituency has come under sharp criticism, with stakeholders describing it as a political charade that is unlikely to resolve the underlying issues surrounding the implementation of a Supreme Court judgment.

In a strongly worded statement, W.J. Obiri dismissed the scheduled meeting, which is to be jointly supervised by the Deputy Governor of Delta State and the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), as a “comic jamboree” and “a joke taken too far.”

The controversy stems from the Supreme Court’s 2022 judgment directing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct a fresh wards and polling units delineation exercise in Warri Federal Constituency.

The apex court’s decision followed years of legal disputes over electoral representation and constituency boundaries in the oil-rich region.

According to Obiri, INEC had already complied with the court’s directive by undertaking field exercises and consultations involving accredited stakeholders and representatives of the various ethnic nationalities within the constituency.

He argued that the electoral commission’s efforts were carried out in line with the Supreme Court’s judgment and should not be subjected to further political negotiations.

Obiri accused certain elements within the Itsekiri ethnic group of persistently resisting the implementation of the Supreme Court ruling, alleging that they have engaged in activities aimed at frustrating the delineation process.

“The Supreme Court ordered fresh wards and units delineation, and INEC has acted accordingly. Yet some serial war-profiteering elements have embarked on a contemptuous journey against the implementation of the judgment,” he stated.

He further alleged that tensions generated by opposition to the delineation exercise had drawn the attention of national security agencies, including the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA).

According to him, the NSA had intervened in an effort to calm the situation and facilitate dialogue among the parties involved.

Obiri claimed that while discussions were ongoing under the supervision of the NSA, some individuals allegedly resorted to illegal arms procurement, resulting in arrests by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS).

He said the matter subsequently attracted the attention of the DSS headquarters, which is reportedly handling related investigations and prosecutions.

The statement also accused those opposed to the delineation exercise of consistently rejecting recommendations from relevant authorities and institutions, including INEC, the NSA, and the DSS.

“They have refused to honour two reports from INEC. They dismissed the recommendations of the National Security Adviser and have shown disregard for ongoing DSS investigations. Yet today, they seek refuge under a purported peace meeting convened by state officials,” Obiri asserted.

Questioning the rationale behind the planned gathering, he argued that neither the Deputy Governor nor the Secretary to the State Government possesses powers superior to those of the Supreme Court or the constitutionally independent electoral commission.

“Is the Deputy Governor above the Supreme Court? Between INEC and the office of the Deputy Governor, which institution enjoys greater constitutional independence? Is the Deputy Governor more influential than the National Security Adviser or the Director-General of the DSS?” he asked.

Obiri maintained that the proposed meeting, scheduled to hold in Asaba on June 11, lacks the authority to alter or reinterpret a valid judgment of the nation’s highest court.

He insisted that any attempt to use political dialogue as a substitute for compliance with the Supreme Court ruling would be futile.
According to him, genuine peace in the Warri Federal Constituency can only be achieved through strict adherence to the rule of law and faithful implementation of the Supreme Court’s directives.

He concluded by describing the meeting as a “role play in a scripted farce” designed to create the impression of progress while avoiding the fundamental issue of enforcing the court’s decision.

As the date of the meeting approaches, stakeholders across the constituency continue to watch developments closely, with many hoping that ongoing engagements will help prevent tensions from escalating and promote a peaceful resolution of the long-standing dispute over electoral delineation in Warri Federal Constituency.