Pan-Yoruba groups affiliated with the Alliance for Yoruba Democratic Movements (AYDM) have raised concern about the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) proposed ward boundaries in Itsekiri areas.
The 130-strong groups called President Bola Tinubu and National Security Adviser Mallam Nuhu Ribadu to intervene quickly to ensure justice and fair play for the Itsekiri people.
Speaking to reporters in Lagos on behalf of the groups, Mr Poopola Ajayi urged anti-crime agencies to investigate Professor Rhoda Gumus and other INEC officials involved in the case.
He said, “This is as simple as obeying all the Supreme Court decisions for the past 50 years won by Itsekiri. We call on the DSS, NSA, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and Independent Corrupt Practices & Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, to be alive to their responsibilities to probe Professor Rhoda Gumus and all the INEC officials associated with this monumental electoral fraud.
“We call on President Bola Tinubu to invite Professor Mahmoud Yakubu, the INEC chairman, who superintended this fraud against the Itsekiri people. Let him explain to Nigerians why the Itsekiri areas have been shrinking while the Ijaw and Urhobo areas are increasing astronomically.
“To set up a Commission of Inquiry to investigate INEC’s delineation activities in Warri Federal Constituency to ascertain why INEC merged several wards in the Itsekiri Area to become one while multiplying areas with low registration in the Urhobo and Ijaw enclaves.
“Whether INEC has the constitutional powers to create new communities or superimpose illegal names on existing Itsekiri communities. Whether INEC has the discretion to obey a court judgement while disobeying another.
“We are calling on Mr President to direct INEC to return to the original 13 wards of the defunct Warri Local Government Area and use the same as the basis upon which delineation can be carried out in Warri Federal Constituency.
“That the Nigerian Judicial Commission investigate all the justices of the Supreme Court that delivered this procured judgement. We call on the Legal Aid Council to investigate the Head of the Legal Department and all the staff of INEC involved in this charade.
“We also call on President Bola Tinubu to withdraw all pipeline security and surveillance contracts awarded to Tantita Security Services Ltd, a company owned by our sworn enemy Mr Government Ekpemupolo, and award the same to competent Itsekiri.
“Conclusively, AYDM has directed the 37-member committee set up from all Yoruba-speaking blocs in Nigeria to immediately reach out to all critical stakeholder groups, opinion and political leaders to see how all of these can be actualised.”
