Ogbe-Ijoh People assert electoral rights amid Itsekiri protests in Warri South

The Ogbe-Ijoh (Ijaw) community has reaffirmed its rightful inclusion and demand for electoral representation in Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State, amidst protests by the Itsekiri people challenging their presence in the area.

At a press conference held on Friday at Ogbokone Townhall, Warri South, key Ogbe-Ijoh leaders, including Hon. Denbo-Denbofa Oweikpodor, Chief M. Keme, and Comrade Moses Fiyebor, defended their historical and legal claims to the local government and called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to uphold fairness in its ongoing electoral delineation exercise.

Their reaction follows recent protests by Itsekiri groups, who contend that the Ogbe-Ijoh people should not be part of Warri South LGA—a claim the Ijaw leaders have described as “false and divisive.”

“The Ogbe-Ijoh community has always been an integral part of Warri South,” said Oweikpodor. “Our inclusion predates Nigeria’s independence and is backed by both legal documents and historical facts. The ongoing protest appears to undermine a truth that is well documented.”

The leaders referenced the Western Region Laws of Nigeria No. 177 of 1955, which recognized four electoral wards for Ogbe-Ijoh people in the then Warri Urban District Council. These wards—Alders Town B3, Ogbe-Ijoh Ward C1, Ogbe-Ijoh Ward C2, and Government Area F1—had elected councillors representing the Ijaw community until the 1976 Local Government reforms under the military regime of General Olusegun Obasanjo.

“Warri as it is known today began with Ogbe-Ijoh,” the leaders stated, adding that Ogbe-Ijoh was the first recorded settlement along the Warri River, now known as Warri anchorage.

They also cited the 1957 Chiefs Law (CAP 19) and the 1979 Bendel State Traditional Rulers and Chiefs Edict (BSLN 44), which explicitly excluded Ogbe-Ijoh lands from the jurisdiction of the Olu of Warri, recognizing instead the Amaokosu of Ogbe-Ijoh as the rightful traditional authority over Ijaw lands in Warri metropolis.

The Ogbe-Ijoh leaders praised INEC’s resolve in commencing the delineation process despite several legal challenges and urged the Commission to ensure the exercise reflects historical and legal realities.

“If we had four wards in 1955, it is only fair and just that, 70 years later, our representation increases to reflect demographic growth. We demand at least five electoral wards for Ogbe-Ijoh,” they stated.

They further called on INEC to disregard “frivolous protests” from Itsekiri factions and instead focus on ensuring equitable representation for all indigenous communities within the LGA.

In addition to ward creation, the group also renewed its call for a separate state constituency for the Ijaws in Warri South, noting that both Itsekiri and Urhobo ethnic groups already have their own state constituencies