Leaders from Warri Federal Constituency on Tuesday, September 9, stormed the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja, accusing the commission of flouting a Supreme Court ruling and undermining their democratic rights.
The protesters, representing Warri North, Warri South, and Warri South West local government areas, carried placards with inscriptions such as “CVR today is a political fraud in Warri Federal Constituency” and “Warri Federal Constituency, no ward, no units for CVR.”
They also unfurled a giant banner showing maps of Ijaw and Itsekiri communities to drive home their demand.
At the centre of their protest was a petition addressed to INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, and signed by 16 community leaders.
The petition accused INEC of rushing into the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise without first releasing the final report of the Supreme Court-ordered delineation of electoral wards and polling units in Warri.
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“We can no longer wait while our democratic rights, guaranteed by the constitution and reaffirmed by the Supreme Court judgment, are being eroded.
“INEC should immediately release and implement the report painstakingly embarked upon by stakeholders. We shall not idly stand by and watch our democratic rights and franchise fretted away,” the statement read.
The leaders said they had waited patiently for five months, despite what they described as undue political interference meant to stall the process.
They warned that beginning a voter registration drive in Warri without legitimate structures was a direct affront to the judiciary.
“We will continue to occupy your premises until our fundamental human rights to vote and be voted for are restored to us with a clear direction and information on where and how we should participate in the ongoing exercise,” the petition stated.
The group vowed not to relent until INEC fully implements the Supreme Court ruling, insisting the commission must respect the law.