Delta North Leaders Reject South-East Proposal, Insist Anioma State Must Remain in South-South

Wale Igbintade

The long-standing agitation for the creation of Anioma State took a decisive turn at the weekend as legislators representing Delta North Senatorial District in the Delta State House of Assembly and chairmen of the nine local government areas in the district issued a unified and emphatic rejection of proposals suggesting the placement of Anioma State within the South-East geopolitical zone.

In a strongly worded joint statement, the political leaders reaffirmed their full support for the creation of Anioma State but insisted that such a state must remain firmly within the South-South.

They described recent suggestions of merging Anioma with the South-East as “vehemently opposed,” “non-negotiable,” and contrary to the historical and cultural identity of the Anioma people.

The statement, endorsed by all elected representatives from Delta North, follows renewed national conversations and legislative engagements on the creation of additional states across the country.

According to the leaders, the resurgence of this national debate necessitated a clear and collective position to avoid misrepresentation of 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 signatories declared.

Describing the pursuit as a generational mission, they emphasised that the Anioma dream is anchored on cultural identity, language, administrative continuity, and the desire for accelerated development.

They reiterated that the envisioned Anioma State comprises 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.

This configuration, they stressed, aligns with the historical understanding and long-standing aspirations of past leaders who spearheaded the movement for Anioma’s recognition.

“The Anioma our fathers envisaged and which we support is the Anioma that is made up of the nine local government areas of Delta North with its capital in Asaba,” the leaders stated, noting that any deviation from this established configuration would misrepresent the true vision of Anioma’s founding advocates.

The most forceful part of the communiqué was the explicit rejection of attempts to link Anioma to the South-east.

While acknowledging the ethnic and linguistic ties between some Anioma communities and the Igbo-speaking region, the leaders maintained that geopolitical alignment, administrative history 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 read

According to them, forcing Anioma into the South-East would not only distort historical facts but also undermine the political and developmental trajectory pursued by the district over the decades.

They insisted that geopolitical identity is not determined solely by shared ethnicity but by administrative structures and regional evolution within the Nigerian federation.

Beyond rejecting the South-East proposal, the leaders pledged to “actively lobby and support every legitimate effort” toward securing the creation of Anioma State.

They described state creation for the region as a matter of equity and justice, arguing that Anioma people deserve a state of their own within the South-South just as other ethnic blocs within the region already possess. “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, assuring that they would deploy their collective mandate, political capital and institutional influence in the pursuit of this objective.