Chief Robinson Ariyo, a prominent Warri-based legal practitioner and the Egogo of Warri Kingdom, has declared that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is perpetrating “total fraud” by conducting delineation of electoral wards, asserting that the commission has no constitutional authority to carry out such exercises. Citing court documents filed by an INEC principal officer, Ariyo has called for a thorough investigation into INEC officials’ financial accounts amid allegations of improper inducement related to the controversial delineation process.
Ariyo also called for a proper investigation into the accounts of the INEC Chairman and other officials over allegations of inducement over the delineation exercise.
Giving credence to his assertion, Ariyo said a court affidavit in public space and deposed to by a principal officer of INEC, Mr. Onyema Chika, before a Federal High Court in Benin clearly put to pay to the constitutional role of INEC as far as delineation is concerned.
According to paragraphs 12 and 13, Onyema Chika was quoted to have deposed under oath, “That I know as a fact that the 1st Defendant does not conduct election using Electoral wards. It isthe State Independent Electoral Commission that conducts the Electoral wards structure which now has the responsibility to create and re-delineate Electoral wards.
“That I know as a fact that at the time the judgment of this Honourable court was delivered on the 13th day of August 2003. The power to delineate and re-delineate Electoral wards had been taken away from the 1st Defendant by virtue of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) and domiciled with the State Independent Electoral Commission.
Ariyo said, “In what amounts to a confession, Mr. Onyema Chika, a Principal Executive Officer of INEC, has in an affidavit deposed before the Commissioner for Oaths, Federal High Court Benin that INEC does not have the power to delineate and re-delineate Electoral Wards by virtue of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).
Subsequently, Ariyo submitted that the entire activity remains a fraud and called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to institute a Panel of Enquiry into the activities of INEC leading to the proposed delineation of wards in Warri Federal Constituency on the 4th day of April, 2025.
“The accounts of the Chairman of INEC, the Chairman of the delineation Committee, Professor Rhoda Gumus and all the top INEC officials that are connected with the exercise, including the head of the legal department, T.M Inuwa, SA, N, should be investigated
He further asked for the investigation of widespread illegal encroachment of Itsekiri oil lands by Tantita Security Services Limited, especially with regard to the financial inducement of INEC and other Federal Government Agencies with dollars from the contract awarded to Tantita Security Services Limited.
Seunmanuel Faleye is a brand and communications strategist. He is a covert writer and an overt creative head. He publishes Apple’s Bite International Magazine.
