Independent National Electoral Commission has released the Supreme Court-ordered ward delineation for the Warri Federal Constituency, reshaping the political structure across Warri South, Warri North and Warri South-West local government areas of Delta State.
The development marks a major turning point in the long-running political and ethnic disputes involving the Ijaw, Itsekiri and Urhobo nationalities over representation and electoral boundaries in the oil-rich region.
The new delineation was presented during an emergency stakeholders’ meeting held in Asaba by the Delta State Resident Electoral Commissioner alongside the supervising National Commissioner for Delta, Edo and Cross River states.
Under the fresh arrangement, the number of wards in Warri South has increased from 12 to 20. The restructuring also creates two state House of Assembly constituencies within the area.
INEC said the Itsekiri ethnic nationality would retain one constituency, while the Ijaw and Urhobo groups would jointly share the second constituency.
In Warri North Local Government Area, the number of wards has also doubled from 10 to 20, with the wards evenly distributed between the Ijaw and Itsekiri ethnic groups, who now control 10 wards each.
The commission further announced the creation of two state constituencies in Warri North — Constituency One and Constituency Two.
Warri South-West recorded similar adjustments, with wards increasing from 10 to 20. Under the new structure, the Ijaw ethnic nationality now controls 13 wards, while the Itsekiris have seven wards.
Two state constituencies were also created for the local government area as part of the delineation exercise.
INEC additionally disclosed plans for a proposed extra House of Representatives seat covering Warri North and Warri South-West Federal Constituency. However, the commission clarified that the proposal would only take effect after constitutional amendments by the National Assembly.
The ward delineation exercise follows years of legal battles, political protests and ethnic agitations over political representation and electoral structures within the Warri Federal Constituency.
The latest development is expected to generate fresh political reactions across Delta State, especially among stakeholders from the affected ethnic nationalities.
