Leaders from Delta North Senatorial District have rejected proposals suggesting that the planned Anioma State should be placed within the South-East geopolitical zone, insisting that the new state must remain part of the South-South.
In a joint statement released over the weekend, legislators representing Delta North in the Delta State House of Assembly, alongside the chairmen of the district’s nine local government areas, reaffirmed their support for the creation of Anioma State.
They described any attempt to merge it with the South-East as “vehemently opposed” and “non-negotiable.”
The statement comes amid renewed national discussions and legislative engagements on the creation of additional states across Nigeria, prompting Delta North leaders to clarify the aspirations of the Anioma people.
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 and leaders,” the leaders said, noting that the initiative represents a generational mission anchored in cultural identity, language, administrative continuity, and accelerated development.
The proposed Anioma State, according to the leaders, would comprise the current nine local government areas of Delta North — Aniocha North, Aniocha South, Ika North-East, Ika South, Ndokwa East, Ndokwa West, Oshimili North, Oshimili South, and Ukwuani — with Asaba as its capital.
They stressed that this configuration aligns with the historical vision of past advocates for Anioma’s recognition.
While acknowledging ethnic and linguistic ties with some Igbo-speaking communities in the South-East, the leaders argued that administrative history, geopolitical alignment, and cultural evolution place Anioma squarely within the South-South.
“We make it unequivocally clear that we vehemently oppose any proposed move or merger with any part of the South-East geopolitical zone. Anioma people are historically, geographically, and administratively aligned with the South-South. This position is deeply rooted in our heritage and is non-negotiable,” the statement said.
The leaders warned that linking Anioma to the South-East would distort historical facts and undermine the district’s political and developmental trajectory over the decades.
They emphasised that geopolitical identity is determined not solely by shared ethnicity but by administrative structures and regional evolution within the federation.
Beyond rejecting the South-East proposal, Delta North leaders pledged to actively lobby for and support every legitimate effort to secure the creation of Anioma State, describing it as a matter of equity and justice.
“We are united in the belief that the creation of Anioma State is a necessary step towards fulfilling the political and developmental destiny of the Anioma people,” they said, promising to deploy their collective mandate, political capital, and institutional influence toward the realisation of this goal.
