By Our Reporter
Itsekiri youths, protesting the recent re-delineation of the Warri Federal Constituency by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), have shut down oil production at a facility in Ogidigben, Warri South West Local Government Area. The facility, previously operated by Shell, is reported to produce around 28,000 barrels of crude oil daily.
The protest, which began last Saturday in Warri South Local Government Area, escalated on Tuesday with the occupation of the oil facility. One protester, speaking anonymously to Vanguard, stated that the youths are determined to continue their protest until INEC reverses what they view as an “anomaly” in the ward delineation process.
“We will keep protesting until INEC corrects this. They cannot just reduce us to an electoral minority in Warri Federal Constituency. This is unfair and shows clear bias against the Itsekiri people,” the source said.
In a related development, traditional leaders of the Okere Urhobo Kingdom in Warri have denied reports claiming their community rejected the INEC ward delineation report. At a press briefing held at the palace, prominent chiefs, including Chiefs John Edgor, Femi Okumagba, Frank Okolobe, and Youth President Hon. Eboh Okpako Elvis, stressed that the kingdom is still reviewing the document.
“We have received the ward re-delineation report from INEC and are currently studying it. The Commission gave all ethnic groups a seven-day window to provide feedback, and that period has not yet ended,” the chiefs said in a joint statement.
Chief Edgor clarified that no individual or group had the authority to speak on behalf of the kingdom without proper consultation: “The people behind the claim that Okere Urhobo Kingdom rejected the delineation exercise did not speak for us. I personally represented Okere Urhobo and Agbara kingdoms at the INEC briefing in Asaba and received the relevant documents. We are still reviewing them and will respond officially within the given timeframe.”
Other leaders of the kingdom, including Chiefs Lawrence Akpoveso, Louis Eboh, and former youth president Comrade Emurabobo Eburu, echoed the same position.
“We have not yet responded to the INEC report, and we definitely did not reject it. We are still carefully reviewing the document, and it is important to clarify this,” said Emurabobo.
@Vangyard