Lawyer and politician, Chief Robinson Ariyo, has called on President Bola Tinubu to order an investigation into the Warri electoral delineation exercise over allegations of financial inducement, security breaches and possible irregularities.

Ariyo also urged the President to mandate the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice to issue an independent legal opinion on the exercise, particularly its compliance with constitutional provisions and existing judicial orders.

In a statement, he called for the preservation of all documents, correspondence, financial records and electronic communications connected to the delineation process to prevent possible destruction or alteration of evidence.

He further recommended that the Independent National Electoral Commission publish its complete delineation report, including supporting maps, methodology, population and geographical data, as well as submissions from stakeholders and explanations for decisions taken on objections raised.

Ariyo also called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission and Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit to investigate allegations of suspicious foreign currency transactions, unexplained financial inflows and possible inducement of political actors, public officials, electoral personnel and security operatives.

Additionally, he proposed an independent forensic audit of private surveillance contracts associated with oil and gas infrastructure in the Niger Delta to establish whether their financial transactions, beneficiaries and performance records had any connection with the controversy.

The proposed audit, he said, should examine contract awards, payments, beneficial ownership, subcontracting arrangements and foreign currency transactions, alongside an assessment of possible public fund diversion and revenue leakages in oil production and sales by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company.

On security, Ariyo urged the National Security Adviser and relevant agencies to investigate possible compromises involving security personnel and ensure adequate protection for residents and traditional institutions across Warri North, Warri South and Warri South-West Local Government Areas.

He also advocated an inclusive dialogue involving traditional rulers, community representatives, political stakeholders and legal practitioners from the Itsekiri, Ijaw and Urhobo communities, stressing that the engagement should allow all parties to present their grievances and supporting evidence without imposing a predetermined outcome.

The lawyer further called for protection for individuals providing credible information about alleged financial misconduct, electoral irregularities or security breaches, as well as a publicly communicated timeline for the relevant agencies to submit their findings.

Addressing the constitutional implications of the exercise, Ariyo questioned whether INEC could implement changes to existing State Constituency boundaries without approval from the National Assembly and before the expiration of the current tenure of the relevant State House of Assembly.

He cited Sections 112, 113, 114 and 115 of the 1999 Constitution, particularly Section 115, which provides that alterations to State Constituency boundaries take effect only after approval by the National Assembly and the expiration of the current life of the State House of Assembly.

Ariyo maintained that the Niger Delta deserved fairness, security and equitable political representation, warning that unresolved concerns surrounding the delineation exercise could deepen communal tensions, undermine public confidence in democratic institutions and trigger avoidable conflict.

He urged Tinubu to ensure that the controversy was addressed in accordance with constitutional provisions, due process and the principles of justice.