A pan-Igbo socio-cultural group, Ndi Asuu Bia Social Cultural Organization , has thrown its weight behind the creation of Anioma State ou...
A pan-Igbo socio-cultural group, Ndi Asuu Bia Social Cultural Organization, has thrown its weight behind the creation of Anioma State out of the current Delta State, describing it as a necessary move to correct long-standing marginalization of the Igbo ethnic group.
The group made its position known in a four-page memorandum submitted to the Senate Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution, proposing constitutional amendments to make Anioma Nigeria’s 37th state.
“Section 3(1) of the Principal Act should be altered by inserting ‘Anioma’ as one of the states of the federation,” the group stated in the memo, signed by Chief Onyenwemadu Kingsley Kainebi (President), Ofochi Benjamin-Atagana, Esq. (Secretary), and Chief Cosmas Agada Chikeobi (Chairman, Local Organising Committee).
They also urged the amendment of the First Schedule, Part I to include Anioma State, its Local Government Areas, and designated capital city.
Tapping Senate Momentum
The push comes amid strong backing from Senator Ned Nwoko, who represents Delta North and has reportedly secured the endorsement of over 80 serving senators in favour of the proposed state.
The group emphasized that the Southeast remains the most underrepresented region, with just five states compared to six or seven in other geopolitical zones.
“Creating Anioma State will help reunite Anioma people with their kith and kin in the Southeast, bring governance closer to the grassroots, and eliminate long-standing marginalization,” the organization said.
They explained that the name “Anioma” is a fusion of key Igbo subgroups in the region and that the call for the state’s creation dates back to Nigeria’s First Republic.
Equity, Unity, and Representation
The organization called on the 10th National Assembly to consider the proposal in the spirit of equity, national unity, and balanced federal representation.
“The creation of Anioma State is not just an Igbo demand; it is a national necessity for fairness and balanced development,” the group stressed.
The move adds fresh energy to the debate over state restructuring in Nigeria, especially as discussions around constitutional amendments gain momentum in the National Assembly.
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