The Isoko Political Youth Leaders of Thought (ISOPLOT) has issued a fiery and impassioned statement reaffirming its commitment to the political and socio-economic defense of the Isoko people, while lambasting the Isoko National Youth Assembly (INYA) for what it calls betrayal and political complicity.
At the center of the controversy is the contentious ward delineation exercise currently being undertaken in Warri metropolis, a process ISOPLOT claims is destabilizing the fragile peace and ethnic equilibrium within Delta South Senatorial District.
The group has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to suspend or outrightly cancel the exercise immediately, warning of its potential to ignite ethnic unrest and political imbalance in the region.
“The resolve of ISOPLOT is the perpetual preservation of the political, cultural, economic and social dignity of Isoko Nation,” the group declared, in a statement jointly signed by its Chairman, Comrade Omoraro Daniel, and Secretary, Comrade Oviomaigho Henry.
ISOPLOT did not hold back in its criticism of INYA, describing the organization as a “factional youth group masquerading as the umbrella body of Isoko youths worldwide.”
According to group, INYA’s recent press release—opposing ISOPLOT’s stance on the Warri ward crisis—was motivated by external influences and not the interests of the Isoko people.
It further accused INYA of having “lost bite, lost integrity, and lost touch with the realities of Isoko Nation,” citing the controversial commissioning of the Isoko Youth House, allegedly chaired by a non-Isoko figure despite the presence of numerous distinguished Isoko leaders.
“INYA has outlived its usefulness… It has become a private entity designed to sabotage Isoko Nation for the pecuniary interests of a few,” the statement read.
ISOPLOT’s concerns extend beyond immediate youth rivalries. The group warned of deliberate political maneuverings intended to shift ethnic power balances in Delta South — particularly to favor certain groups at the expense of others, with grave implications for the 2031 gubernatorial race.
“We foresee the endpoint of these political maneuverings as aimed at elevating one ethnic group over the others… The Itsekiri are first in the line of conquest, and Isoko may be next,” the group cautioned, invoking the famous quote by German theologian Martin Niemöller as a warning against political complacency.
The group emphasized that Isoko’s role as a major oil-producing area—contributing over 400,000 barrels of crude oil daily—entitles it to a prominent seat at the national table and should not be treated as a peripheral stakeholder.
Reiterating its appeal to President Tinubu, ISOPLOT called for an immediate halt to the ward delineation exercise, citing its potential to “breed restiveness in the Niger Delta Region.”
The group also issued a clarion call to all Isoko leaders—across political, traditional, and socio-economic lines—to unite urgently and defend the collective future of the Isoko people.
“We cannot afford to sit on the sidelines. The road before us remains narrow and rugged. Let us keep the spirit of Isoko alive. Let us think Isoko First.”
The Warri Ward delineation exercise, spearheaded by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and reportedly backed by certain influential quarters, has become a flashpoint for ethnic tension in Delta South.
