Traditional rulers and key stakeholders across Delta North have unanimously endorsed Senator Ned Nwoko for a second term in the National Assembly, citing his leadership in the ongoing push for the creation of Anioma State.
The endorsement was announced under the aegis of Izu Anioma, the umbrella body of Anioma people, following a high-level stakeholdersâ meeting that brought together monarchs, political leaders, and representatives of various interest groups in the region.
According to a statement made available to LEADERSHIP, the leaders anchored their decision on what they described as Nwokoâs âproductive representationâ in the Senate and his sustained commitment to advancing the Anioma State project through legislative processes.
At the same time, the stakeholders reaffirmed their position that the proposed Anioma State should be aligned with the South-East geopolitical zone, insisting that such alignment remains the most viable pathway for the realisation of the long-standing aspiration.
The position, they noted, was further reinforced during a meeting of the Technical Committee on the Creation of Anioma State, held at the palace of the Obuzor of Ibusa in Oshimili North Local Government Area.
Presiding over the session, the Obuzor of Ibusa, HRM Louis Nwaoboshi, traced the agitation for Anioma State back to 1950, noting that successive generations of Anioma people have sustained the demand whenever constitutional opportunities emerged.
He commended Senator Nwoko for leveraging the current legislative window by sponsoring a bill for the creation of Anioma State, with Asaba proposed as the capital.
âThis is a constitutional process which we, as a technical committee, are objectively piloting to fruition. Significant progress has been made, but the emergence of divisive politics is worrisome,â the monarch said.
The royal father warned against politicising the movement, stressing that the collective aspiration for statehood must take precedence over partisan considerations.
âPoliticising the state creation movement under our watch is unacceptable. The focus of all stakeholders must shift from party politics to the realisation of our age-long dreamâAnioma State,â he added.
The endorsement comes amid growing political debate over the future alignment of the proposed state, particularly following the recent entry of former Delta State governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, into the 2027 senatorial race.
Okowa has reportedly opposed the Southeast alignment being championed by Nwoko and other stakeholders, instead advocating that Anioma State remain within the South-South geopolitical zone.
However, the stakeholders described such a position as counterproductive, warning that conflicting narratives could undermine decades of agitation and slow down the constitutional process required for state creation.
In a bid to preserve unity and maintain focus, the Izu Anioma urged political actors in the region to exercise restraint and avoid actions capable of creating division or unnecessary tension ahead of the 2027 elections.
They emphasised that history would judge harshly anyone found working against the realisation of Anioma State, calling for a united front as the constitutional process gathers momentum.
Reiterating their stance, the stakeholders insisted that Southeast alignment offers the most realistic and strategic pathway to achieving the long-cherished goal of statehood for the Anioma people.
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