By EMMANUEL OLONIRUHA

Ijaw and Urhobo people of Warri Federal Constituency of Delta State have called on Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to release and implement its report on the fresh delineation of their constituency.

Chief David Reje, from Warri North, spokesperson of the group made the call during a demonstration at INEC headquarters, Abuja on Tuesday.

He said that people of the constituency were being disenfranchised from participating in the ongoing nationwide Continuous Voter’s Registration (CVR).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that the Supreme Court in its on Dec. 2, 2022, judgement ordered INEC to conduct fresh delineation of Wards in the Warri North, Warri South and Warri South-West Federal Constituency.

Reje decried the commencement of the CVR without new delimitation, saying by the Supreme Court judgment there was no ward or polling units in the Warri Federal Constituency, until the fresh delineation was concluded.

He urged INEC to release the final report which was drafted in consultations with stakeholders in the constituency to enable them to participate in the ongoing nationwide CVR exercise.

Reje said that while the people were fully abreast with the legal attempts and undue influences from various quarters to derail or truncate the process, they salute the courage of INEC to do the right thing.

He expressed hope that INEC would conclude the process before commencing a future electoral process through the instrumentality of the ongoing CVR exercise in the federal constituency.

“Our patience and cooperation are being taken for granted as you have set machinery in place to disfranchise us from participating in future elections.

“We can no longer wait while our democratic rights guaranteed by the constitution and reaffirmed by the Supreme Court judgement are being eroded.

“We decided to travel from Warri Federal constituency to draw your attention to our plight.

“To let you know that we will not allow any institutions or external influences and pressures to allow our inalienable rights to be petered away by those bent on causing confusion in Warri Federal Constituency, Niger Delta Region and by extension Nigeria,” he said.

Reje said that the demonstrators would continue to occupy INEC premises until the fundamental human rights to vote and be voted for was restored with a clear direction on where and how they should participate in the ongoing CVR.

Receiving the petition from the people, INEC National Commissioner, Prof. Abdullahi Zuru, commended the peaceful approach adopted in handling issues by the group.

Zuru pledged to tender their demands to the commission for necessary actions.

“Let me assure you that as a commission, we are a law-abiding institution and as citizens, we are also law-abiding citizens. Whatever the law says we act on it.

“So I will assure you that there is no intention whatsoever, as far as INEC is concerned, to disenfranchise anybody from any exercise, not the CVR alone, any democratic exercise,” he said.

Inscriptions on some of the displayed placards by the group read: “CVR today is a political fraud in Warri Federal Constituency”; ‘Warri Federal Constituency, onward, no unit for CVR’; ‘No table to press’; ‘INEC give us the final report’; ‘Allow INEC to finish their work’.

Other signatories on the group’s petition were Joel Bisina, Chief Godspower Gbenekama, Dr Paul Bebenimibo, Chief Arthur Akpodubakaye and Chief Emmanuel Sekondi.

Equally signatories were Rev. Samuel Ako, Frank Pukon, Mrs Vero Tangbewei, Olorogun Okumagba, Chief John Eramvor, Chief Wester Femi Okumagba, Chief Wilson Ogbodu, Chief Mrs Ann Gagiyovwi, Jude Ebitimi Ukori and Mrs Margret Ikinbor. (NAN)

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