The Gbaramatu Lawyers Association—an umbrella body of all Legal Practitioners of Gbaramatu Kingdom in Delta State—has accused the Itsekiris of frustrating the implementation of the fresh delineation of all units and wards in the Warri Federal Constituency by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
In a press statement signed by its President, Friday Emotimide, Esq., and Secretary, Werisinde Timiyan, Esq., in warri on Monday, the Gbaramatu lawyers said the Itsekiris have filed many suits in lower courts to frustrate the enforcement of the Supreme Court order.
The statement reads in part: “The Association notes with utmost dismay the number of suits filed in lower courts by the Itsekiris all in a bid to frustrate the enforcement of the Supreme Court order. A suit was filed at the Federal High Court seeking to prevent INEC from proceeding with the delineation exercise.
“The said suit lingered for months with their counsels changed several times but at the end the Court dismissed the said suit for being a complete waste of time.
“Again, in another calculated attempt to shut INEC from further implementing the judgment and releasing the result of the delineation exercise, they approached the Federal High Court, Abuja. Sadly, after several arguments and adjournments, the Federal High Court dismissed the said suit and this paved the way for INEC to release the said delineation report.
“Time will fail the Association to mention several press releases, statements, and interviews on national television and online platforms sponsored by the Itsekiris to prevent the enforcement of the said judgment.
“Till date, all kinds of frivolous suits are still being filed and pursued all in a bid to ensure that the order of the Supreme Court does not come to light. The latest being a suit filed at the Federal High Court Warri questioning the membership of the panel that conducted the delineation exercise on grounds of ethnicity.
“We know as a matter of fact that if any of the justices that presided over the case that ordered the fresh delineation of the units and wards in the Warri Federal Constituency was an Ijaw or Urhobo, they would have heavily termed the panel as corrupt and biased.
“All these are attempts to frustrate the implementation of the judgment. However, we are not deterred.”
The Gbaramatu lawyers also accused the people of Itsekiri of inciting their communities to take up arms against the Gbaramatu people over the matter.
According to the legal practitioners, since the release of the delineation report by INEC, there have been several comments and videos on social media platforms even from prominent leaders of the Itsekiri nationality allegedly inciting Itsekiri communities to take up arms against the Gbaramatu people.
“We would like to remind all the dramatis personae in the said scheme of incitement that they and their followers shall and will be criminally liable in the event that any member of the communities in Gbaramatu is attacked or maimed as result of their remarks,” they warned.
The lawyers called on relevant security agencies to prosecute persons or any group said to be making inciting remarks in order to prevent a total breakdown of law and order in the Warri Federal Constituency.
The lawyers expressed satisfaction with INEC for finally taking steps to adhere to the decision of the Supreme Court to conduct a fresh delineation exercise in the Warri federal constituency.
They however faulted the electoral umpire for not carrying out the exercise before the 2023 general election since the judgement was given in 2022.
The lawyers further advised INEC to uphold the integrity of the findings and report that emanated from their field work.
“We advise INEC to uphold the integrity of the Findings and Report that emanated from their field work. We urge INEC not to be deterred as they are statutorily bound to adhere to the decision of the Supreme Court and carry out their statutory duty as ordered by the Supreme Court, without more.
“We warn that any attempt to reverse their Findings and Reports which emanated from their field work would amount to an infraction of an already settled judicial process.”
“Finally, as far as the delineation exercise is concerned, justice has been done and the heavens did not fall,” the lawyers said in the statement.
