Delta North senatorial district is singing different tunes over a proposal by Senator Ned Nwoko, representing the district at the National Assembly, on the creation of Anioma State.
During an interactive session with indigenes of the district in Abuja recently, he said the creation of Anioma State is both urgent and compelling, promising to present a bill for the creation of the state.
He said the creation of Anioma State is not just about increasing the number of states but about ensuring fair representation and resource allocation for the South East.
“I am presenting a bill for the creation of Anioma State to correct this historical oversight. Anioma is composed of nine local government areas, six of which are rich in oil and gas resources. The region also boasts significant human capital, making it a viable and sustainable candidate for statehood,” Nwoko assured.
But the Ukwuani people who are among the nine local government areas of Delta North, faulted the senator on Wednesday.
In a statement jointly signed by Abel Emah-Iyesele, Dr. Mike Akpati, Aneke Efemeni and Sam Chukuji, they said they had been strange bedfellows with the people of Anioma and preferred to hobnob with the Urhobo, Isoko and Itsekiri ethnic nationalities than the people of Aniocha and Oshimili.
They posited that it is a well-thought-out and thoroughly considered view and opinion of the generality of the Ukwuani people that Anioma is not an expression of the people of the zone.
“Before the proposal by Senator Ned Nwoko to rekindle the campaign for the establishment of Anioma State, the Ukwuani nation had already conveyed their stance in 2021 through the Ndokwa Neku Union (NNU), the leading socio-cultural organization of the Ukwuani people, in a report presented by the Adhoc Committee on States Creation and Geopolitical Zones Arrangements.
“Ukwuani had never been a part of the defunct Benin Province where Aniocha, Oshimili and Ika were integral constituents. Ukwuani congenially had been part and parcel of the original Delta province, where we still share a more robust cultural affinity.
“Ukwuani nation relates more comfortably and mutually with the people of the core Delta Province as against Aniocha, Oshimili, and Ika of the Benin Province. Though tongues may differ, and surely they do, the Ukwuani nation finds unity in diversity best within our Delta province enclave.
“The position enumerated and enunciated above is the considered views and strong belief that the Ukwuani nation will be comfortable and better off placed among the comity of states with the original core Delta province peoples, that is, the Urhobo, Isoko, Itshekiri, and Ijaw ethnic nationalities.
“With the comparative advantage Ukwuani has, the Ukwuani nation can request for a Ukwuani State. We have the natural resources, population, land mass and human capital needed in abundance to make a nation-state.
“We, the entire Ukwuani people, are strongly and vehemently opposed to the creation of Anioma State without recourse to factors such as capital location, LGA distribution, and placement of government facilities,” they stated.
Ned Nwoko’s proposal for creation of Anioma State divides Delta North