The Federal High Court sitting in Warri has ruled that the 12 Electoral Ward structure being used in conducting elections by the Independent Electoral Commission, INEC, in Warri Constituency 1& 2 in Delta State are illegal, null and void.
Hon. Justice Okon Abang made this declaration while delivering his ruling on a 12 wards illegal structure case created by the Delta State electoral body against the original 10 wards created by INEC, saying that the High Court ruling against the 12 illegal wards structure still subsist.
Justice Abang stated that it’s only the 10 original wards created by INEC remain the legally recognized wards in Warri Constituency 1& 2 and also covering the up coming 2023 general elections, adding that INEC are not permitted to disobey the subsisting order of Court nullifying the 12 Wards in Warri South.
The 10 legal Wards in Warri State Constituency 1are: Esisi, Okere, Bowen, and Pessu while Warri State Constituency 2 are: Igbudu, Avenue, Ekurede, Ubeji, Obodo, and Ode-Itsekiri Wards respectively.
INEC conducted the 2019 elections with the illegal 12 wards structure in disobedience of the Court judgment and has again listed candidates for the 2023 elections on the same illegal 12 wards structure prompting the plaintiffs to drag INEC to the Court to prevent further illegalities.
The trial Justice Abang said it’s only by process of comital to prison that would compel INEC to obey the Court order and desist from conducting election using the annulled 12 Wards.
