Sen Nwoko’s bill for new state: Anioma people in verbal battles

ASABA- THE latest Bill by Senator Ned Nwoko representing Delta North Senatorial District, Delta State, in the Senate to carve Anioma State from the present Delta State in the South-South region, and create it as the sixth state in the Southeast region, has triggered a controversy among the Anioma people.

Critical stakeholders support the bill—Senator Nwoko
Nwoko, in a statement on his advocacy for the new state, said: “Anioma is composed of nine local government areas, six of which are rich in oil and gas resources. It boasts significant human capital, making it a viable and sustainable candidate for statehood. Creating Anioma state is not just about increasing the number of states, but ensuring fair representation and resource allocation for the South-East.”

He explained: “The call for Anioma State has widespread support from various stakeholders. The Anioma socio-cultural group, Izu Anioma, and the pan-Igbo cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo, have both been vocal in their advocacy for this cause.“Anioma State is coming. The widespread affirmation from our people drowns the few voices of dissent. I am happy that democratic forces and critical stakeholders are backing the proposal. Community leaders, youths, women, and various groups want Anioma.

“The political class in Anioma, including traditional rulers led by the late Asagba of Asaba, Obi (Prof) Chike Edozien, have also consistently supported the creation of Anioma State. They have held numerous meetings, including discussions with former President Olusegun Obasanjo, to voice their consensus,” the lawmaker explained.

However, NDV learned the conflict was not against the creation of Anioma State, but Nwoko’s expedition to include it in the South-East region.

Ndokwa kicks

Pan-Ndokwa socio-cultural organisation, Ndokwa Neku Union (NNU) led by a retired military officer, General Mike Ndubisi, on June 26 dissociated the Ndokwa ethnic nationality from the bill because of the configuration with South-East.Similarly, the president of the Ndokwa Study Group, Dr Norris Ovili, rejected the recommendation that the new state be part of the South-East geopolitical zone, saying the proposed Anioma State should include only areas west of the Niger, specifically the old Aboh and old Asaba Divisions.

Ika rubbishes billThe Ika ethnic nationality also rejected Senator Nwoko’s bill, saying: “In principle, we support the creation of states, particularly Anioma State that does not bestride any part of Eastern Region. Taking all the determinants required for state creation, the four local government areas that make up the original proposed Anioma State eminently satisfy all the requirements.”

The Head of Collective Leadership of Onu Ika, Nigeria (HCL), Elder Daniel Usifoh, and others in a statement, said: “We, therefore, humbly request our distinguished senator, Ned Nwoko, to revisit his proposed bill for the creation of Anioma State, particularly the ‘geographical coverage’ or contrived annexation of Anioma State to Eastern region.”

Agbor youths raise an objection

The Ikoro-Agbor, comprising of the youths of the entire communities in Agbor Kingdom in a protest letter to President Bola Tinubu and President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, stated: “We affirm that Senator Ned Nwoko did not consult with the people of Agbor before issuing his proposition of a prospective Anioma State joining with the South-East in a new region in Nigeria.”Johnson Imade and others in the letter, explained: “By this publication, we express our disapproval of Senator Nwoko’s conduct of taking such far-reaching and binding political decision without prior consultation with the principal stakeholders of the Anioma region.“The mandate of Senator Ned Nwoko, representative of Delta North in the 10th Senate of the Republic of Nigeria does not include any permission to railroad or bond the Delta North or Anioma people to a political union with South Eastern Nigeria without the democratic consent of the people expressed in a plebiscite.“We hold that any re-arrangement in the political affiliation of the Delta North Senatorial District will require a plebiscite to seek a democratic validation as was done before the creation of the Midwest Region in 1964. Agbor was an integral part of that epochal political experience.”

Anioma, S-East are mismatched —Owa Progressives

The chairman of Owa Progressives in Owa Kingdom, Alex Okunbor, and others, who enjoined Nwoko to rework his bill to address the concerns of the people, declared: “We emphatically oppose Anioma State as an annexure of South- East geopolitical zone; Anioma and South-East people are ideologically incompatible.“Senator Ned Nwoko did not consult the people of Owa Kingdom, otherwise he would have been informed that the people are better off in the South-South geopolitical zone than moving them to South-East.”

Anioma should lobby Ohaneze, S-East govs, parliamentarians—Okenyi

A former national publicity secretary of the Anioma State Movement, Chief Dan Okenyi, noted that those opposed to the bill were not well-informed about the facts of the matter. He said: “What many do not understand is that there is no state creation exercise going on in the country, but just the magnanimity of the present government to address the injustice done to the South- Easterners with five states as against six by other regions and seven by the North.”
Okenyi, who is the secretary general of the Anioma Congress, said: “What we ought to be doing now as Anioma people is lobbying key stakeholders of Eastern extraction like the Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo, the governors, parliamentarians, and others to seize the opportunity and consider Anioma State as the sixth state in the region.
“It is essential to note that political offices in Nigeria are shared based on zones and not senatorial districts. In the circumstances, therefore, every right-thinking Anioma man/woman should understand that we stand to benefit more as a state when we are eventually placed under a geographical zone (no matter the zone).
“Nwoko is in full consultation over the state creation with relevant stakeholders and is still doing so. In all our efforts for Anioma State, we have never been presented with the kind of opportunity that we now have to actualize our desired goal.
“The placement in any geographical zone should not occupy our attention now. Any conversation in that direction is counterproductive to our goal and certainly the handiwork of spoilers.”
Okenyi, who opined that Nwoko merited an accolade, not condemnation for his intelligent move, asserted, “All we want is Anioma State and God willing, all other things will be sorted out through constructive dialogue.”Anioma monarchs support lawmaker

Amid the growing tension in Anioma land over the planned new state, Anioma monarchs at the end of the interactive session with Senator Nwoko at Obior in Aniocha North local government area, threw their weight behind him.
The Anioma monarchs in a communique signed by the secretary and Obi of Atuma Iga, Obi Daniel Ogbudo, encouraged Senator Nwoko to interrelate with other critical stakeholders of Anioma extraction to forge a more collaborative front geared towards achieving the desired objectives.
“We want to urge the federal lawmaker to widen the scope of interaction and consultation, particularly critical stakeholders, to accommodate all shades of opinion in the set goals. We commend the senator for his quality representation, dedication, and resilience and acknowledge the significant progress and milestones already achieved.”
“We also affirm our renewed sense of unity and purpose and reassure our people of our collective resolve to support the quest to create Anioma State.”