85 SENATORS BACK ANIOMA STATE CREATION AS NED NWOKO RALLIES SUPPORT WITH CONSTITUTIONAL BILL

The movement for the creation of Anioma State gathered unprecedented momentum this week as no fewer than 85 Senators of the Federal Republic of Nigeria threw their weight behind the constitutional proposal spearheaded by Senator Ned Nwoko, representing Delta North Senatorial District.
This surge of support came in response to a formal letter personally addressed to each Senator by Senator Nwoko, dated May 27, 2025, and delivered under the auspices of the ongoing constitutional amendment process in the National Assembly. The proposal, now designated as Senate Bill 481, seeks to carve Anioma State out of the existing Delta State and align the Southeast geopolitical zone with others in terms of state count.
Currently, the Southeast remains the only geopolitical zone in Nigeria with five states, while the North-West and South-West have seven and the others have six. In his letter titled “Anioma as Equity State”, Senator Nwoko appealed to the conscience and sense of justice of his colleagues, urging them to support the cause not merely as a regional aspiration but as a correction of long-standing national imbalance.
“Let us be remembered as the Senate that brought balance to Nigeria’s state structure and healed a longstanding national wound,” Nwoko wrote. He emphasized that the creation of Anioma State is more than a cartographic exercise—it is an act of fairness, equity, and national inclusion.
The lawmaker pointed out that Anioma is a region with deep cultural, linguistic, and historical ties to the Igbo-speaking Southeast, and that its incorporation into the Southeast would both satisfy identity demands and create governance parity among regions. “This is a just and logical solution to the imbalance in the Nigerian federation,” he stated, adding that the new state would reflect the aspirations of the Anioma people who have, for decades, yearned for political recognition within their cultural homeland.
Senator Nwoko’s advocacy has also drawn strong support from traditional institutions. The Ndigbo Progressive Traditional Rulers Forum formally endorsed the move through a letter dated May 15, 2025. Signed by HRM Eze Nnamdi Ofoegbu (Oroko Abia), Diawa I of Umudiawu Ancient Kingdom and Chairman of the Forum, along with HRM Igwe Sunny Orah, Secretary of the Forum, the endorsement marked a symbolic show of unity among Igbo royal institutions.
“We are proud to identify with you in this historic endeavour and formally declare our support for the creation of Anioma State,” the royal fathers declared. “Your vision, passion, and courage in championing this noble cause resonate deeply with our mission as traditional rulers to uphold unity and fairness among all Igbo people.”
The traditional rulers praised Senator Nwoko for offering bold leadership and reaffirmed their commitment to working with him “in every constructive way possible” to ensure the success of the initiative.
The strong senatorial backing, coupled with traditional legitimacy and widespread public support, positions the Anioma State proposal as one of the most prominent agenda items in Nigeria’s constitutional reform process this year.
With the bill now undergoing formal legislative consideration, political watchers are closely observing how other stakeholders—particularly the House of Representatives, the Presidency, and the 36 State Houses of Assembly—will respond to what is fast becoming a national movement for geopolitical equity and federal balance.