Momentum for the creation of Anioma State is accelerating as 85 senators of Nigeria’s 10th National Assembly have signed their support ahead of the July 2025 constitutional amendment hearings.
The initiative, driven by Senator Ned Nwoko (Delta North), aims to correct long-standing regional imbalances in Nigeria’s geopolitical structure. The endorsements come days before zonal public hearings scheduled for July 4–5, where proposals for new states will be reviewed under the Senate Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution.
Hearings will hold across six geopolitical zones:
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South-west: Lagos
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South-east: Enugu
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South-south: Ikot Ekpene
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North-central: Jos
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North-east: Maiduguri
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North-west: Kano
More lawmakers are expected to sign on, signaling growing consensus across Nigeria’s political landscape.
Ned Nwoko: Anioma State Is About Equity, Not Politics
In a letter dated May 27, 2025, addressed to the Senate President and all senators, Senator Ned Nwoko called for courage and justice in backing the proposal, listed under Senate Bill 481.
“Let us be remembered as the Senate that brought balance to Nigeria’s state structure and healed a longstanding national wound,” he wrote.
Nwoko described the current imbalance, where the South-east has only five states, while other regions have six or seven, as a historic injustice. He argued that Anioma, to be carved from Delta State, would right that wrong.
“Anioma is not about redrawing boundaries for convenience. It’s a just and logical solution to geopolitical imbalance,” he said.
He also emphasized Anioma’s cultural and ancestral ties to the South-east, describing it as a move that would strengthen national unity and federal equity.
Traditional Rulers Back State Creation
Backing from traditional institutions came via the Ndigbo Progressive Traditional Rulers Forum, which formally endorsed the campaign in a letter dated May 15, 2025. The letter, signed by:
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HRM Eze Nnamdi Ofoegbu (Diawa I of Umudiawu, Abia) — Chairman
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HRM Igwe Sunny Orah — Secretary
praised Nwoko’s leadership and pledged full royal support.
“Your vision and courage in championing this noble cause resonate deeply with our mission to uphold unity and fairness among all Igbo people,” they wrote.
They committed to lending their influence and voice to secure Anioma State’s place in Nigeria’s evolving federal framework.
National Implications and Next Steps
The push for Anioma State is seen as part of a broader call for restructuring and inclusivity in Nigeria’s federal arrangement. If approved, it would bring the South-east to parity with other regions, making it the sixth state in the zone.
The outcome of the upcoming public hearings will determine the proposal’s path forward, as any amendment to the Nigerian Constitution requires approval from two-thirds of both houses of the National Assembly and two-thirds of the 36 state legislatures.
