Delta leaders reject idea of putting proposed Anioma State into South-East
Leaders from the Delta North Senatorial District have rejected recent proposals suggesting that the planned Anioma State be classified under the South-East geopolitical zone. Instead, they insist the new state should remain part of the South-South zone.
In a joint weekend statement, lawmakers in the state House of Assembly representing Delta North, along with the chairmen of its nine local government areas, reaffirmed their support for creating Anioma State. They described any attempt to merge the proposed entity with the South-East as “vehemently opposed” and “non-negotiable.”
They argue the demand for Anioma State is not a temporary political trend, but a legitimate, long-standing aspiration rooted in history, cultural identity, language, and development considerations.
According to the leaders, the proposed Anioma State would consist of the nine existing local government areas of Delta North, namely Aniocha North, Aniocha South, Ika North‑East, Ika South, Ndokwa East, Ndokwa West, Oshimili North, Oshimili South, and Ukwuani, with Asaba as its capital.
While acknowledging that some Anioma people have ethnic or linguistic ties with Igbo-speaking communities in the South-East, the leaders maintained that the region’s historical, administrative, and geopolitical evolution aligns Anioma squarely with the South-South. They warned that any attempt to pigeonhole Anioma under the South-East would distort historical facts and jeopardize the region’s political and developmental progress.
Beyond rejecting the South-East proposal, the Delta North group pledged to actively support legitimate efforts toward establishing Anioma State, describing the demand as a matter of justice, equity, and rightful identity for the Anioma people.