BREAKING: Nigeria’s oil-rich Warri on the edge as furious Itsekiri leaders blast INEC’s explosive new electoral plan

A dangerous new political confrontation is erupting in Nigeria’s oil-rich Niger Delta after influential Itsekiri leaders launched a fierce attack on the Independent National Electoral Commission’s controversial new ward and constituency delineation proposals for Warri Federal Constituency.

The powerful Itsekiri Leaders of Thought accused INEC of attempting to redraw the political future of Warri through what they described as a deeply flawed and provocative electoral arrangement capable of destabilizing one of Africa’s most strategic oil-producing regions.

The group warned that the commission’s fresh proposals could ignite serious ethnic and political unrest across Delta State if allowed to stand.

In a strongly worded reaction, the leaders rejected the electoral map outright, alleging that INEC relied on manipulated field reports, disputed population structures, and questionable geographical data to push a plan they believe threatens the political identity and historical rights of the Itsekiri people.

Warri remains one of Nigeria’s most sensitive political and economic territories because of its massive oil wealth, ethnic diversity, and long history of violent political rivalries involving control of land, resources, and representation.

Observers say any controversial alteration to electoral boundaries in the region carries the potential to trigger wider instability far beyond Delta State.

The Itsekiri group accused the electoral body of ignoring historical realities and constitutional principles while allegedly empowering rival interests through the proposed restructuring.

They warned that the move could deepen distrust in Nigeria’s democratic institutions and reopen old wounds in the volatile Niger Delta region.

The political firestorm has now drawn national attention, with growing fears that the battle over Warri’s electoral structure could evolve into a major national controversy ahead of future elections.

Analysts say the unfolding crisis may test the credibility of Nigeria’s electoral system and the federal government’s ability to manage fragile ethnic and political tensions in key oil-producing communities.