Anioma leaders reject proposal for inclusion in South-East

Lawmakers from Delta North and nine council chairmen from the Senatorial District have kicked against the proposal to make the proposed Anioma State part of the South-East region.

In a statement jointly issued in Asaba and made available to newsmen on Sunday, the group reaffirmed its push for Anioma State but insisted that it must remain in the South-South region.

They contended that the South-South region reflected the people’s historical and administrative roots.

They also said their stance followed extensive discussions in renewed national debates over the creation of new states across the country.

The leaders said the quest for Anioma State was a long-standing pursuit anchored in history and championed by past and present stakeholders.

They described the movement as a generational effort to secure political identity, protect cultural heritage, and accelerate development for the Anioma people.

The statement partly read: “Our demand for Anioma State is a just and historic aspiration passed down by our forebears.

“Our quest for a distinct and autonomous Anioma State is not a fleeting political venture but a legitimate aspiration deeply rooted in history, championed by our revered forebears.

“We are united in the belief that the creation of Anioma State is a matter of justice, equity, and a necessary step towards fulfilling the political and developmental destiny of the Anioma people.”

They added that achieving statehood would promote equity and support the Anioma nation’s broader developmental ambitions.

The group declared full support for creating the state solely from the nine Delta North Local Government Areas, which also constitute the nine state constituencies, with Asaba as its capital.

It listed the councils as Aniocha North, Aniocha South, Ika North-East, Ika South, Ndokwa East, Ndokwa West, Oshimili North, Oshimili South, and Ukwuani.

It pledged to use its political influence to support legitimate efforts to secure Anioma State.

They, however, condemned suggestions linking Anioma to a merger with the South-East, calling such proposals historically inaccurate.

They insisted that Anioma’s identity was firmly rooted in the South-South and that any contrary idea was unacceptable.

The statement stressed that Anioma’s cultural and administrative alignment with the South-South was longstanding and non-negotiable.

The leaders assured residents that they would continue to defend Anioma’s collective interest as national discussions on state creation progress.

Meanwhile, members of the House of Representatives from Delta North have repudiated speculation that Asaba might be removed as the designated capital of the long-envisioned Anioma State.

They made their position known in a statement jointly issued by Reps Ngozi Okolie (Aniocha North/Aniocha South/Oshimili North/Oshimili South), Victor Nwokolo (Ika North East/Ika South), and Nnamdi Ezechi (Ndokwa East/Ndokwa West/Ukwuani).

They described the rumour as “divisive, unpatriotic, and completely disconnected from the aspirations of the Anioma people”.

They stressed that the choice of Asaba as capital was not a recent decision but the product of decades of consultations, cultural logic, historical consensus, and broad political agreement across all Anioma clans.

The statement noted that the agitation for Anioma State creation was not the ambition of any individual, regardless of status or personal interest.

It, therefore, cautioned that no single actor could rewrite what has long been accepted by all communities in Delta North, including Aniocha, Oshimili, Ika, and Ndokwa/Ukwuani.

It condemned what it termed “opportunistic agitations” by those seeking personal relevance under the guise of advocating state creation.

According to the lawmakers, any attempt to reopen the settled question of the capital amounts to an assault on the unity and cultural identity of the Anioma people.

They emphasised that the boundaries and capital of the proposed state had been clearly established and remain unchanged.

They insisted that Asaba “stands – without controversy – as the historically agreed capital of Anioma State.”

The legislators called on residents to remain calm and not be swayed by misinformation or political distractions.

They assured their constituencies that they remain committed to the realisation of Anioma State and would continue to voice their genuine yearnings at the National Assembly.