The push for the creation of Anioma State, a long-running political aspiration of leaders and cultural groups from Delta North Senatorial District has suffered a significant setback, raising fresh doubts about the viability of the agitation in the current constitutional amendment cycle.
According to insiders familiar with the process, the proposal failed to secure the level of consensus required among federal lawmakers, state assemblies, and geopolitical stakeholders. Though the movement has enjoyed strong grassroots support and cultural momentum, the lack of unified political backing at the national level appears to have stalled progress.
Sources say the failure of some political blocs from the South-South and South-East to jointly champion the cause created strategic weaknesses at a crucial moment. The National Assembly committees reviewing state creation proposals reportedly prioritised issues tied directly to economic restructuring, resource governance, and security-sector reforms, leaving the Anioma request outside immediate consideration.
Despite the setback, advocates insist the cause is not dead. Several groups have vowed to re-strategize, arguing that Anioma deserves full statehood to guarantee balanced representation, equitable resource allocation, and administrative autonomy. Analysts, however, warn that with rising fiscal pressures and competing regional demands, state creation is becoming an increasingly high hurdle.
