The Children of Drivers and Fishermen Association (CODAFA) has rejected the proposed delineation of wards, polling units and the creation of an additional federal constituency in parts of Delta State by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), describing the exercise as flawed and unacceptable.
President of CODAFA, Mr Romeo Diden, made the group’s position known in a statement issued at the weekend and jointly signed by Mr Blessing Okotie.
Diden specifically faulted the proposal affecting Warri South-West II and Warri North Constituency II, alleging that the exercise was based on inaccurate representations and failed to reflect fairness and justice.
According to him, the people of Warri Federal Constituency were shocked by INEC’s recent announcement claiming to have restored two allegedly suppressed constituencies in Warri South-West and Warri North Local Government Areas.
“It is surprising that INEC, in its recent press release, stated that it has restored two suppressed constituencies in Warri South-West and Warri North Local Government Areas that never existed,” Diden said.
He further argued that the stakeholders’ meeting held at the INEC Secretariat in Asaba, Delta State, could not be sustained under the principles of justice and the rule of law, insisting that the proposal should be rejected in its entirety.
While acknowledging that INEC carried out the delineation exercise pursuant to the Supreme Court judgment in Hon. George Timinimi & Others v. INEC (SC.413/2016), Diden maintained that the association was not opposed to the court-ordered delineation itself.
However, he alleged that the new proposal perpetuates what he described as illegalities and fraudulent practices long opposed by the Itsekiri Nation.
“After careful review, we have decided to decline this proposal. Our due diligence identified material misrepresentations and inconsistencies in the proposal because it relies on statements we have determined to be fraudulent. We therefore reject it, as we take matters of integrity and legal compliance seriously,” he stated.
Diden further contended that although the Supreme Court ordered a delineation exercise, it did not mandate INEC to conduct one allegedly tainted by fraud or corrupt practices.
“The delineation exercise was conducted without neutrality, fairness or justice, and is therefore unacceptable to the Itsekiri Nation. While we are still examining the process, another issue of alleged suppressed constituencies has also emerged,” he said.
He expressed concern over what he described as years of marginalisation of the Itsekiri people, stressing that the community could no longer tolerate perceived injustices.
“The Itsekiri Nation has been oppressed and taken for granted for too long because of its peaceful and accommodating nature. There must be an end to such anomalies,” Diden added.
