Emma Ogoigbe
A former Commissioner in Delta State, Hon. (Chief) Frank Omare, has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of allegedly attempting to manipulate the Supreme Court judgment concerning ward delineation in the three Warri Local Government Areas of Delta State.
Omare, who described himself as a two-time commissioner and an Ijaw leader, claimed that INEC has refused to make public the Supreme Court’s decision on the delineation of wards in Warri South, Warri South West, and Warri North Local Government Areas.
Speaking on the issue, Omare alleged that any attempt by the electoral body to alter or misinterpret the court’s ruling could lead to serious consequences. He said it was “very sad that INEC is causing confusion and attempting to manipulate the Supreme Court judgment,” warning that such actions, if carried out, would be “catastrophic.”
According to him, the Ogbe-Ijoh community in Warri South West is highly populated and requires proper ward delineation rather than additional polling units. He argued that wards, not units, play a decisive role in determining electoral outcomes at the local government level, as they form the basis for fielding and electing candidates.
Omare further alleged that the Ijaw ethnic group has experienced years of political manipulation and vowed that any fresh attempt at injustice would be resisted. However, he stressed that the matter should not be viewed as an ethnic dispute between the Ijaw and Itsekiri communities, insisting instead that the issue centers on INEC’s handling of the ward delineation process.
He called on INEC to adhere strictly to the Supreme Court’s judgment on the matter and urged the commission’s leadership to revisit the delineation in line with the court’s original ruling.
Omare maintained that any delineation plan that does not reflect what he described as the authentic court judgment would be strongly opposed by the Ijaw community.
