The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has refuted claims that it has finalized the delineation of electoral wards in the Warri Federal Constituency, which comprises Warri North, Warri South, and Warri South West Local Government Areas.
This clarification comes in response to a protest staged on Wednesday at INEC’s national headquarters in Abuja, where some concerned community members voiced opposition to the proposed reconfiguration of wards.
In a statement released on Thursday, INEC National Commissioner Sam Olumekun addressed the matter, stating that the commission is still in the process of consulting relevant stakeholders and has not reached a conclusive position.
“Following the Supreme Court judgment, the Commission embarked on extensive consultations from February 2023 to July 2024 involving all the critical stakeholders, followed by fieldwork in all the communities in the three Local Government Areas culminating in the production of a draft report,” Olumekun explained.
He noted that on April 4, 2025, the commission held a stakeholder engagement in Warri, where the draft report was formally shared with representatives from the affected areas.
“The purpose was to give them the opportunity to raise any concerns they might have. The overall objective was to arrive at an amicable agreement endorsed by all the parties involved,” he said.
Olumekun emphasized that despite speculation and public debate, no final resolution has been made. “Therefore, contrary to the speculations making the rounds, the Commission is yet to take a final decision on the delineation of Wards in the Warri Federal Constituency.”
INEC has encouraged all parties to carefully review the draft and submit their observations, which will help guide future discussions and decisions on the ward boundaries.
The delineation exercise follows a December 2, 2022 ruling by the Supreme Court, which directed INEC to address long-standing concerns over ward boundaries in the area.
