‘Why we demand ANIM State for South East’

From Magnus Eze, Enugu

Promoters of ANIM State Creation Movement have said that carving a new state from Anambra and Imo States for the South East will engender equality and balancing of the country’s six geopolitical zones.      

Secretary of the Movement, Chief Osita Nwaneri noted that political analysts and politicians had given the push for ANIM different interpretations since the bill for the creation of the new state was presented at the National Assembly.     

He, however, stated that the Movement differed with some of the views people held about the agitation for the new state.   

At a recent town hall meeting at Nkwerre, Imo State, the senator representing Imo West, Osita Izunaso, was quoted to have said that the creation of the state will speed up development in the Southeast as not only Orlu zone will make up the new State.     

The senator’s assertion, Saturday Sun was told, slightly differed from that of the ANIM State Creation Movement.      

According to the new state proponents, the proposal for the creation of ANIM State which dates back to 2014, comprises Nnewi South and Ihiala Local Government Areas of Anambra State merging with 12 LGAs of Orlu, Orsu, Oru East, Ideato North, Ideato South, Nkwerre, Nwangele, Isu, Njaba, Oru West, Oguta, and Ohaji Egbema of Imo State.     

They reasoned that while Enugu and Abia States from where Ebonyi State was created came to existence from Anambra and Imo States, the latter was yet to have new state since then, hence the vision for ANIM State to be created from Imo and Anambra States.     

“Over time, I have learnt to listen to what people say and what they did not say. What Senator Izunaso said at the town hall meeting could be correct, but what he failed to say is the ANIM State creation,” Nwaneri said.