Public affairs analyst Bright Omaghomi has launched a scathing critique of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), accusing it of conducting a fraudulent and biased ward delineation exercise in Warri Federal Constituency.
Speaking on ARISE News on Friday, Omaghomi emphasized that while the Supreme Court rightly ordered INEC to carry out ward delineation, the implementation of that judgment has allegedly been hijacked by vested interests and marred by “monumental fraud.”
“INEC obeyed the Supreme Court and submitted its delineation report in 2025—but what we are challenging is not the judgment itself, but the integrity of the report produced,” he said.
According to Omaghomi, independent surveyors hired to verify INEC’s coordinates discovered that more than 80% of the new polling units fall on rivers or uninhabitable terrain, and many existing communities were renamed or erased entirely.
“In Miller Waterside, which is known to everyone in Warri, INEC suddenly renamed it Bulwama. Communities like Ubeji were omitted, while fictional areas like Bukiti and Otegele were created and moved into Warri main town. This is not delineation—it’s distortion.”
He further accused INEC of overstepping its constitutional authority by adjusting federal constituency boundaries, a role designated to the National Boundary Commission.
Omaghomi alleged that the exercise was influenced by ethnic bias, naming Professor Rhoda Gumus, an INEC commissioner from Bayelsa, as the official who led the process and allegedly acted in favour of Ijaw and Urhobo interests.
“This process was politically manipulated. The coordinates tell the story—polling units placed in forests and waterways where only fishes and animals can vote.”
He also questioned the population figures used by INEC, pointing out that there has been no national census since 2006.
“How do you justify shifting demographic dominance when there’s been no new census? Suddenly Urhobos outnumber Itsekiris in their own federal constituency?”
In response to past legal setbacks involving the issue, Omaghomi clarified that this latest challenge is based on fresh evidence regarding INEC’s implementation, and that new legal action is imminent.
“We are heading to court. INEC must explain how it came up with this report. Over 300 communities have been renamed. This isn’t a media campaign—it’s a fight for fairness.”
He also dismissed questions about the ethnic background of the independent surveyors involved in the verification, saying their identities would be made public once legal proceedings begin.
The controversy revives long-standing ethnic tensions in Warri, a region historically contested by Itsekiri, Ijaw, and Urhobo groups. Omaghomi insisted that existing court judgments support the Itsekiri’s historical land claims and warned against politicizing demographic and territorial realities.
“No one should use a court ruling over 281 acres to claim the entire Warri, which spans over 1,500 square miles. It’s disingenuous.”
He concluded by calling for a transparent, lawful, and inclusive process in future delineation exercises—one that respects court rulings, community identities, and credible population data.
