In recent years, there have been increasing agitations for the creation of new states from the different geopolitical zones of the country. But none of these agitations has been as fervent, more urgent, more nuanced, more thought through and with a profound clarity of purpose as the present proposal before the National Assembly for the creation of Anioma state from the present Delta state to be part of the South East states. The proposal has received overwhelming support of well-meaning people of the area and stakeholders of Anioma in Diaspora. It also has the buy-in from a bipartisan lawmakers from both chambers of the National Assembly. The new architect of this movement is Senator Ned Nwoko(PDP Delta North) in consultation with prominent figures from the constituent parts of the proposed Anioma state.
This is the story, and it’s a good idea whose time has come. And, it should be seen for what it is: the quest for the Anioma state is not only a vision, but will be a fulfillment of the people’s longstanding desire. The aspiration is also well-defined, a practical bold step towards justice, fairness, unity, equity and the commitment to peace and healing of wounds that had festered for decades. As a very journey starts with a first step. So, on July 1, 2024, the bill for the actualisation of Anioma state, sponsored by Sen. Nwoko, was read for the first time in the Senate. The bill seeks, among other things, to alter three sections of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria(as amended), to delete the word 36, replacing it with 37 to accommodate Anioma state. Legally, and Constitutionally, that’s part of the grundnorm, the order or rule in the process of state creation.
The detailed procedures are provided in section 8 of the Constitution. Specifically, the bill for the proposed Anioma state aims to recognize the nine local government councils that cover Delta North. They are Aniocha North, Aniocha South, Ika North-East, Ika South, Ndokwa East, Ndokwa West, Oshimili North, Oshimili South and Ukwuani, with Asaba as state capital designate. It may be recalled that Sen. Nwoko, had before he tabled the bill for the proposed Anioma state, stated, matter-of-fact, that the South East geopolitical zone has only five states, unlike its counterparts, except the North West which has seven states. Consequently, this disparity has caused the present imbalance in representation and resource allocation, with the South East having only 15 senators compared to 18 from other states in the Senate. It has created pervasive inequity and distribution of natural resources and long-standing injustice.
This is one of the historical and political imbalances that the creation of Anioma as South East state tends to correct. It makes a lot of political sense. And the creating Anioma state, will bridge this gap and foster national unity and cohesion. Apart from having abundant human capital and natural resources that will make the proposed Anioma state viable and sustainable for statehood, perhaps the biggest driving factor for the actualisation of the new state lies in the collective resolve of the people for self-determination. It has everything going for it, including population size. The area has a population of 1.5 million. This is more than the population of Equatorial Guinea, with a population of just 1.44 million people. Also, the proposed Anioma state has a landmass of 6,300 Square Kilometres. This is three times the size of Mauritius, and almost twice the landmass of Cape Verde. Besides, the Anioma landmass is endowed with oil and gas, rich farmlands, diverse ecosystem and tourist sites. To cap it all, the Anioma area remains very peaceful, compared to other areas in the country right now.
Truth is, the demand for the creation of Anioma state represents the oldest agitation for statehood in Nigeria’s history. For the people, it has been a relentless struggle that began in the 1950s. History shows that the idea was started by the people of Aboh and Asaba division in the defunct Western Regional House of Assembly, asking for the then colonial government to create Western Niger Province for them. But it has since crystallized into a united front of the entire geographical zone called Anioma. Also, in 1975, the Anioma Leaders of Thought, were united in one voice, one cause, when they presented an application to the Justice Ayo Irikefe’s States Creation Committee. In the vanguard of the early movement were prominent figures from the zone who valiantly championed the cause for the creation of Anioma state. They include renowned politician, poet, journalist and former Premier of now defunct Mid-Western Region, Chief Dennis Osadebe, Sen. Nosike Ikpo, Amb.Ralph Uwechue, Chief Humphrey Iwerebor, Prof B.I.C Ijeomah, Dr Emmanuel Efeizomor, and Prof Chike Edozien, the Asagba of Asaba.
This was followed by yet another application and memoranda to the Constituent Assembly and the National Assembly at its inception in 1999. As a matter of fact, all Presidents of Nigeria between 1979 and 1999 were dutifully served with proposal for the creation of Anioma state. It’s also on record that the revered Asagba of Asaba, as Chairman of the Central Working Committee for the actualisation of Anioma state, had on two occasions, between 1999 and 2003, visited the National Assembly, where he told the leadership of the lawmaking body that the creation of Anioma state would bring about the much-needed justice and reconciliation for the people of the area. He emphasized the promotion of cultural preservation and identity as other compelling considerations.
The areas covering the proposed Anioma state reportedly passed all the necessary assessment and criteria set by the National Assembly Conference Committee in its report on the creation new state. However, an organised conspiracy of sorts was said to have played out to scupper the fulfillment of the people’s vision for their own state. Back in 2012, a former Federal Permanent Secretary, Chief Robert Audu, in his proposal submitted to the National Assembly Joint Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution, chaired by the the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, strongly recommended Anioma as an additional state in the South East. Chief Audu said it would bring “government closer to the people”, adding that such a move will correct perceived imbalance and marginalisation in the South East.
As a member of the 2014 National Conference, chaired by Justice Idris Legbo Kutigi, retired Chief Justice of Nigeria(CJN), Chief Audu, again moved a motion, calling for the creation of Anioma state to be grouped with South East geopolitical zone. He suggested that the present Delta state capital be moved to Warri, and Asaba as the new capital of Anioma state. This is in line with the same proposal made by elders and stakeholders of Anioma. The recommendations of the 2014 National Conference may have been safely consigned to the dustbin of history after Muhammadu Buhari became president in 2015. But the idea of Anioma state is still very much alive. It stands a pretty good chance of meeting the criteria required for the purpose of creating a new state as stipulated in section 8 of the 1999 Constitution. Among them, a “request, supported by at least two-thirds majority of members(representing the area demanding the creation of the new state) in each of the following, (1) the Senate and House of Representatives, (ii) the House of Assembly in respect of the area, and (iii), the local government councils in respect of the area “.
Also, such a proposal for the creation of a new state must be approved in “a referendum by at least two-thirds majority of the people of the area where the demand for creation the state originated”. The Anioma people are not lacking in the collective resolve of a common cause. This cause has the solid backing of leaders from the South East. But in addition, the present effort of the Anioma people must be in consultation with other constituents of Delta state. That’s the point Sen. Nwoko was making the other day when he addressed journalists in Asaba. He says that the quest for Anioma state is not a personal one but in the overall interest of the people. This is certainly not one of those proposals that should divide the people as few Ukwuani indigenes want it to look like. In a joint statement recently, some leaders of Ukwuani claimed that they are “strange bedfellows” with Anioma people. It’s not strange to hear such dissenting opinion, but it doesn’t detract from the legitimate desire for Anioma state to be carved out from the present Delta state.
The last time new states were created in the country was on October 1, 1996, when the military regime of Gen. Sani Abacha created six states, bringing the number of states to 36. The states are Ebonyi state(carved out from Abia and part of Enugu state), Bayelsa from Rivers state, Nasarawa from old Plateau state, Zamfara state from Sokoto, Gombe state from Bauchi, and Ekiti from old Ondo state. I do not agree with the argument from the other side that since no new state had ever been created by a civilian administration, and as a result, the idea of Anioma state should be ignored. That flies in the face of logic and reason. On the contrary, that’s why the prospect of Anioma state is bright. A leader can be forgiven for his many missteps and failures if he can take just one milestone decision as one of his accomplishments in office. And history will be kind to President Bola Tinubu if he strives to break that jinx that time and circumstances have provided him with the ‘golden’ chance. That’s the essence of presidential power, and what great and wise leaders do. For a president still searching for legacy and signature to remember him for, history beckons on him to seize the opportunity with two hands, and make the people of Anioma actualise the vision for their own state.