• NSA, First Lady, Remi Tinubu must stay away from issue
• Tells DG,DSS to reveal identify of persons behind British Army who allegedly imported Arms
• Urges Oborevwori to ensure prosecution of suspects to maintain peace, security in Delta State
By Emetitiri Kokodia
A prominent chief from Gbaramatu Kingdom, Warri South West Local Government Area, Delta State, High Chief Michael Johnny has warned that any attempt to tamper with the results from the concluded fresh Ward delineation in Warri Federal Constituency by Independent National Electoral Commission INEC, will cause another ethnic crisis in Delta State.
Recall that INEC had carried out field work, and submitted the results of fresh Ward delineation to the representatives of Ijaws, Urhobo and Itsekiri, at Asaba.
Johnny, a chieftain of All Progressives Congress APC in Delta State, at a press conference on Tuesday in Warri, alleged that the Itsekiri were trying to blackmail INEC to change the fresh Ward delineation results.
The former Senatorial aspirant of APC, insisted that the Supreme Court judgement on fresh Ward delineation is final and it will remain so, adding that INEC complied with the judgement and has carried out the fresh Ward delineation.
“ INEC must not compromise their integrity. To the best of my knowledge, INEC involved all stakeholders from Ijaw, Urhobo and Itsekiri during the field work and visited all the communities in the Warri Federal Constituency. And INEC has also submitted the exact results. The Itsekiri people should not put pressure on INEC or attempt to blackmail INEC into doing their illegal bid. It will not be accepted “
According to Johnny, “ All eyes are now on INEC, the stakeholders in Warri Federal Constituency are waiting for INEC to complete the entire process because the Urhobo and Ijaws who are majority in Warri South, Warri South West and Warri North respectively in the newly created Wards are willing to deliver their votes to President Tinubu in 2027”
The former Chairman of Egbema Gbaramatu Communities Development Foundation, stated further, “ I am advising Malam Nuhu Ribabu, National Security Advisor and Nigerian First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu not to interfere or make any move to truncate what INEC has done on Ward delineation in Warri Federal Constituency. Malam Nuhu Ribabu is a man of integrity and justice. He must not bend to the tricks, lies and blackmail of the Itsekiri’
“ We have seen the underhand politics to intimidate and threaten INEC not to implement the Supreme Court judgement on the Ward delineation. The Ijaws and Urhobos in Warri Federal Constituency will not fold their hands, they will resist any attempt to change the INEC Results on fresh Ward delineation “
Johnny, Agadiwei of Gbaramatu Kingdom, also called on NSA to prevail on the Director General of DSS to immediately make public their findings on the arrested British Army who allegedly imported Arms into Nigeria to cause ethnic crisis over the Ward delineation in Warri Federal Constituency.
“ The DSS is under obligation to reveal the identity of those behind the arrested British Army. Expose them and make them face the law”
“ Such illegal arms would have been used to truncate the prevailing peace and security, cause ethnic crisis. This is why Governor Sheriff Oborevwori must ensure that DSS prosecute the suspect and his co-travellers who illegally imported the Arms”
He said, the DSS must not compromise, but ensure to prosecute the British Army and those involved in the illegal importation of AK-47 arms.
“ We have it on good authority that a traditional ruler in Delta State is putting pressure on DSS to compromise the investigation and release the suspect, British Army. Nigerians are waiting patiently to see if DSS will compromise especially with the increasing insecurity in the country “
“ I want to believe that the illegally imported Arms was to kill the Ijaws and Urhobos in Warri Federal Constituency. So, Governor of Delta State Sherriff Oborevwori must not allow the DSS to sweep the investigation under the carpet”
“ I am aware that the NSA is holding a meeting with stakeholders from Warri Federal Constituency on Wednesday 14th May, 2025. We are waiting for the outcome of that meeting. The fresh Ward delineation has been concluded and the results submitted to Ijaws Urhobo and Itsekiri. No amount of protest and blackmail by the Itsekiri will change the truth’
“ INEC officials who carried out the field work discovered that Ijaws and Urhobos are the true majority in Warri South, Warri South West and Warri North respectively. The officials submitted their findings and INEC affirmed same to be true as contained in the report submitted to the stakeholders “
