Delta North Leaders Reject Proposal to Place Anioma State in South-East, Insist It Remains in South-South

Delta North political leaders have firmly rejected proposals to place the proposed Anioma State in Nigeria’s South-East, insisting that it should remain within the South-South. Over the weekend, legislators representing Delta North in the Delta State House of Assembly, alongside chairmen of the district’s nine local government areas, issued a joint statement reaffirming their support for the creation of Anioma State while rejecting any realignment with the South-East.

The leaders described suggestions to merge Anioma with the South-East as “vehemently opposed” and “non-negotiable,” emphasizing that such a move would conflict with the historical and cultural identity of the Anioma people. They stressed that the envisioned state would include the nine Delta North local government areas—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 cultural and linguistic ties between some Anioma communities and Igbo-speaking areas, the statement highlighted that administrative history, geopolitical alignment, and regional evolution firmly place Anioma in the South-South. Leaders warned that linking Anioma to the South-East would misrepresent historical facts and undermine the region’s political and developmental trajectory.

The communiqué stressed that the pursuit of Anioma State is a generational mission, rooted in cultural identity, administrative continuity, and the desire for accelerated development. The leaders pledged to actively lobby for the state’s creation, framing it as a matter of equity and justice, and committed to using their political influence and institutional mandate to achieve this long-standing aspiration.