Wednesday November 12, 2025 | The Senate resolved to investigate the ongoing INEC delineation exercise in Delta State, mandating its Committees on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters; Electoral Matters; INEC; Special Duties; and Ethics, Code of Conduct and Public Petitions to conduct a holistic probe and report back within four weeks.
The resolution stemmed from a motion titled “Urgent Need for Intervention to Prevent Imminent Political Crisis Over the INEC Delineation Exercise in Warri Federal Constituency, Delta State”, sponsored by Senator Simon Lalong (APC, Plateau South) and co-sponsored by Senator Sadiq Suleiman (APC, Kwara North).
Presenting the motion, Senator Lalong explained that it was triggered by a petition from the Itsekiri ethnic nationality, alleging unjust treatment and marginalisation in INEC’s recent ward delineation. According to the petition, two Ijaw communities Gbaramatu and Oporoza each previously with one ward, were increased to eight out of the 19 wards in Warri South-West Local Government Area, while the Itsekiri community’s wards were reduced from six to five.
The petitioners argued that INEC’s April 4, 2025 report failed to reflect realities on the ground, citing errors and inconsistencies that have sparked tension among the Itsekiri, Ijaw, and Urhobo groups. They also claimed some coordinates used in INEC’s mapping exercise placed Delta communities within Edo and Ondo States, describing the process as “fraudulent.”
