Obinna Ezugwu
President Bola Tinubu is reportedly inclined to approve the creation of only one additional state, with Anioma emerging as the leading candidate once ongoing legislative processes are concluded by the National Assembly and state assemblies.
Sources familiar with the discussions said Anioma State is being prioritised as a response to long-standing complaints of political imbalance and marginalisation in the South-East, which currently has the least number of states in the country, according to a report by Vanguard Newspaper.
It was learnt in Abuja that high-level consultations are at an advanced stage among political actors and interest groups, including those opposed to classifying the proposed state under the South-East geopolitical zone.
The latest development follows renewed advocacy by Senator Ned Nwoko, who has called on Ndigbo to unite behind the creation of Anioma State as the sixth state in the South-East.
Despite the push, resistance has continued from some groups in Delta State, who argue that Anioma should remain within the South-South. They contend that carving it out as a South-South state would raise the number of states in that zone to seven.
The South-East, with only five states, has for years argued that the imbalance places the region at a disadvantage in representation and federal allocation.
Presidency sources disclosed that, among the numerous proposals before the Federal Government, only Anioma is receiving serious consideration. The sources said the plan is driven by the desire to achieve fairness and geopolitical balance.
“The President understands the sensitivities surrounding state creation, but Anioma stands out as the most practicable option,” a source said. “It is seen as a way of addressing the structural imbalance affecting the South-East and easing the sense of exclusion felt by many in the region.”
The source dismissed agitation for an alternative ‘Anim-Oma State’ proposal, which seeks to merge parts of Anioma in Delta State with areas of Imo and Anambra states, with Orlu as the proposed capital.
Under the prevailing arrangement being discussed, Anioma would be carved out of Delta State and recognised as the sixth state of the South-East, with Asaba proposed as its capital, subject to final approvals.
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