The a group known as Itsekiri National Youth Council, INYC, has threatened to disrupt 2023 election in Warri should the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, fail to honour court judgment delivered in Benin, Edo State, and an agreement they entered 2019 to implement the recognized 10 electoral wards in Warri South Local Government Area instead of the 12 that is currently in use.
Chairman of INYC, Mr. Weyinmi Agbateyiniro, stated this in Abuja on Tuesday during a protest it held at the Unity Fountain Abuja, demanding that the INEC leadership should come and address them within three days that they would occupy the venue or else they would have no other option than to ensure that there won’t be any form of election in Warri henceforth.
According to him, as at 1999, Warri South had 10 electoral wards shared between Itsekiri people and other ethnic grounds that make up the local government, but INEC ‘mischievously’ merged some of the wards dominated by Itsekiri and divided those of the non-Itsekiri to increase the number to 12 electoral wards so as to give the other groups undue political advantage over the Itsekiri people.
Agbateyiniro revealed that they went to court against INEC and others and the judgment was in their favour, but INEC refused to honour the judgement, which was delivered since 19th day of May 2006 before the Honourable Justice P.F. Olayiwola of the Federal High Court, Benin Judicial Division.
The Itsekiri National Youth Council further presented a copy of a letter it wrote to the INEC chairman on 4th January 2019 asking the INEC to revert to the earlier 10 electoral wards instead of the 12, but INEC has neither obeyed the court ruling nor honoured a memorandum they both entered ahead of 2019, in the interest of fairness, justice and equity.
Agbateyiniro stated, “That since INEC is a creation of the law and expected at all times to totally obey all subsisting court judgements, we are therefore counting strongly on you do the needful as you have always done since you took over as INEC chairman by using only materials recognizing these 10 ward structures to conduct elections in Warri South Local Government Area.
“This Council shall resist any attempt to use illegal wards to conduct elections in Warri South Local Government Area”.
He said that there is a protest going on simultaneous at INEC office in Warri, but they in Abuja could not protest at INEC premises because of security issues, but promised to continue at the Unity Fountain until the INEC leadership comes to address them or better still resolve the matter as earlier ordered by a court of competent jurisdiction.
Meanwhile, a copy of the memorandum of understanding signed by INEC and INYC, which was witnessed by security agents reads, “Upon the amicable resolution reached between the Resident Electoral Commission (REC) of INEC Asaba and the representatives of the Itsekiri National Youth Council (INYC), in respect of the implementation of the 10 wards judgment delivered by the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) hereby agrees to do needful in respect of the ward structure after the 2019 elections”.
The Council is worried that INEC has not respected these, but is rather preparing to conduct the 2023 general elections using a faulty template.