By Emeka Okafor
The people of Ijaw and Urhobo ethnic nationalities in Warri Federal Constituency of Delta State have warned that any attempt to stop the implementation of the judgement of the Supreme Court which ordered fresh delineation of Warri federal constituency is an invitation for chaos and ethnic unrest.
The two ethnic groups also appealed to the National Security Adviser, Mr. Nuhu Ribadu, to be wary of advances from Itsekiri leaders who are peddling the name of the wife of the President Bola Tinubu, Senator Oluremi, to intimidate officials to scuttle the almost concluded delineation exercise.
Speaking at a press conference jointly organised by the Ijaws and Urhobos of Warri Federal Constituency, Principal Secretary to HRM Monbene III, the (Pere) Amakosu of Ogbe-Ijoh Warri Kingdom, Chief Monday Keme, warned that the peaceful disposition of both tribes should not be taken for weakness.
The press conference which was part of activities marking the Maj. Jasper Isaac Adaka Boro’s Day celebration in Warri, Delta State, they noted that the failure by INEC to complete the delineation exercise portends grave danger and risks of the Warri Federal Constituency not participating in the 2027 general election.
“This will have cascading effects on the 2027 elections in Delta South Senatorial District and by implication Delta state in general. The recent invite by the NSA’s office for a roundtable discussion with the Ijaws, Itsekiris and Urhobos of Warri must be done with caution, as a prominent Itsekiri had allegedly earlier boasted openly in a press conference that he has the ears of the NSA and true to his talk our people have been invited.
“We do not want to pre-empt any possible outcome of this meeting, but we strongly warn that those who will be attending the said meeting must not compromise on anything that will subvert the genuine decision of INEC.
“In any case, what does the office of NSA have to do with INEC, we hope this is not a ploy to aid a particular ethnic nationality over others. That would not be in the interest of Nigeria and our democratic journey”, Chief Keme stated.
They alleged that Itsekiri leaders were pressuring the presidency to stall the exercise which they claimed is already at completion stage, adding that Senator Oluremi is a mother of all Nigerians and would not support injustice against other Nigerians.
“Recent actions of the Itsekiri Nation in seeking to influence the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, by casting insinuations and putting undue pressure on his wife, Her Excellency, Senator (Mrs.) Oluremi Tinubu is not only highly inappropriate but also a gross misrepresentation of the unity and integrity of our national politics.
“The Itsekiri’s attempts to leverage the maternal lineage of the First Lady to coerce the President into making certain political decisions is a blatant and unjustified move. It should be seen for what it is, an opportunistic move and crass attempt at ethnic baiting.
“We believe the President and the First Lady with solid democratic credentials will not fall for this ill-conceived and mischievous lure to reduce them. We are confident that the President will not lean to their mischief as that would be paramount to a total disregard for the Constitution. Mr. President should understand that everyone matters.
“This same scenario played out when the first ill fated delineation exercise was conducted with ruthless regards for the true picture of what was on ground, the then government was very quick to adopt it but now that the error is being corrected, the government is dragging its feet because of family ties. This will be bringing yourself down Mr President
“We are a very law abiding and peaceful people and we have patiently followed the rule of law up to this time. When the Ijaws approached the court in the suit leading to the Supreme Court judgment in 2011, an Ijaw man, Goodluck Jonathan was the President, but the Ijaws did not put undue pressure on him to subvert national institutions for ethnic gains. Therefore, be rest assured that we will not fold our hands and be bullied “, they added.
They added, “it is important to recognize that H.E. Senator (Mrs.) Oluremi Tinubu, the wife of the President, holds the esteemed position of the Mother of the Nation and should be respected as such. She should not be seen to be bias in the issue of fresh delineation in Warri because of her maternal ties as that will be abuse of office. And it would be tantamount to been seen as mother of some persons instead of mother of Nigeria.
“We are also watching with keen interest how the Itsekiris are clandestinely working with Mrs. Daisy Danjuma, the wife of General T.Y. Danjuma to coerce the National Security Adviser and Mr. President, to help them achieve their selfish agenda of nullifying the painstaking work of INEC and frustrate the implementation of the Supreme Court judgment.
“This ill-conceived effort to manipulate the implementation of a Supreme Court order through personal and familial connections must be condemned in the strongest possible terms. It is anti-democratic and a recipe for political unrest and conflict, which may plunge the entire Niger Delta into anarchy.
“We strongly urge all concerned parties, especially the office of the NSA to respect the independence and impartiality of INEC and to refrain from any further attempts to manipulate or distort the delineation process ordered by the Supreme Court.
“The Nigerian people deserve a transparent and democratic delineation system that reflects the true will of the electorate, free from coercion, intimidation, or undue influence. INEC as a constitutionally independent and unbiased umpire let her decision on this matter be final and Mr President must not involve himself with this. It is a known practice that, whoever that is not satisfied with the decision of INEC should go to court, just as the Ijaws did and pursued their case for more than ten years.
“Mr. President, a stitch in time, as they say, saves nine! Let the right actions be taken and not the other way round in the interest of peace,” they warned.
