A university don, Professor Ben Binebai of Niger Delta University, has applauded the call by the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria that the Independent National Electoral Commission comply with a Supreme Court judgment ordering fresh delineation of wards and polling units in Warri Federal Constituency of Delta State.
In a statement issued on Sunday, Binebai said HURIWA’s intervention was timely and vital in the struggle for fairness and justice for the marginalised Ijaw and Urhobo communities, who have long alleged systemic exclusion in the constituency.
“This landmark judgment, delivered on 2nd December 2022, was a beacon of hope for the marginalised Ijaw and Urhobo communities, who have long suffered the pangs of historical injustices and electoral irregularities,” Binebai said, describing the ruling as “a masterstroke of judicial wisdom, crafted to rectify the anomalies of the past and usher in a new era of electoral justice.”
The December 2022 judgment by the apex court directed INEC to conduct a fresh delineation of wards and polling units in Warri South, Warri South-West, and Warri North Local Government Areas.
The ruling followed years of complaints about what community leaders called “fictitious wards, inequitable distribution of polling units, and gross irregularities” that disadvantaged the indigenous Ijaw and Urhobo people.
Binebai expressed dismay that nearly three years later, INEC and the Federal Government had allegedly failed to implement the judgment, describing the development as an affront to the rule of law and a dangerous precedent for Nigerian democracy.
The professor questioned why INEC, an institution created to safeguard the sanctity of elections, would be accused of subverting the highest court in the land.
“This judgment was a response to long-standing complaints of fictitious wards, inequitable distribution of polling units, and gross irregularities that had tilted the balance of representation against the indigenous Ijaw and Urhobo people.
“The judgment was a clarion call to INEC to redeem its mandate and uphold the Constitution, and HURIWA’s support for the judgment is a testament to its commitment to justice and fairness.
“HURIWA’s position is clear: INEC’s refusal to implement the Supreme Court’s judgment is not only reckless but also a dangerous signal of institutional lawlessness that undermines the integrity of Nigeria’s democracy,” he added.
Binebai, therefore, warned that proceeding with electoral activities in Warri without the court-ordered delineation amounted to nullity.
“INEC’s refusal to implement the Supreme Court’s judgment is not only reckless but also a dangerous signal of institutional lawlessness that undermines the integrity of Nigeria’s democracy,” he said. “Any voter registration or electoral process carried out in Warri without fresh delineation is null and void, as well as a violation of the rule of law.”
He urged INEC to act quickly, stressing that the people of Warri deserved equity in political representation.
“I urge INEC to take HURIWA’s concerns seriously and do the needful by enforcing justice on the Warri Federal Constituency ward delineation. The people of Warri deserve fair representation, and their rights must be respected and protected,” he stated.
