Constituents in Delta North have rejected the purported resolution of some lawmakers in the district, stating that the proposed Anioma State cannot be part of the South-East geopolitical zone.
DAILY POST reports that a statement purportedly jointly signed by all lawmakers representing Delta North Senatorial District in the Delta State House of Assembly and chairmen of the nine local government areas of the district rejected the move to add Anioma State to the South-East when created.
According to the statement, Anioma State must be within the South-South region, stressing that by history, Anioma people are from the South-South region.
However, a statement issued on Monday by Gloria Okolugbo, Consultant, Communications, Office of Senator Ned Munir Nwoko, said the statement was “released without any form of consultation with the constituents of the State House of Assembly members.”
Okolugbo wondered why generational quests would be dismissed without the voice of the people who demand it, describing the lawmakers as members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) pretending to be members of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The statement reads: “There is no evidence that they held any meeting whatsoever with the people they claim to represent to justify such a sweeping action against a popular demand that has become a generational quest, now at the brink of achievement.
“They neither held consultations nor considered the overwhelming agitations and expectations of the people. It is therefore important to state clearly that the Senatorial Zone leadership of the APC does not align with their position. Their posture is at variance with the aspirations of the people.
“There has been no history of consultation. What we see is a familiar pattern in which a family position is imposed on handpicked individuals whose priorities have never aligned with the genuine interests of our communities. It is the same state-sponsored style, using public resources to work against collective interest in order to protect family dominance above community advancement.
“This pattern mirrors the lack of cooperation that Senator Ned experienced within the PDP, which contributed to his exit, only for the same actors to later abandon the party and continue hijacking structures within the APC without any genuine commitment to the people or to strengthen the party’s framework.
“The creation of a sixth state for the South-East is not a mere political suggestion. It is a necessity. It stands alongside other measures needed to guarantee fairness and equity for the South-East within the Nigerian federation. The APC has adopted this as a national project, and it requires the doctrine of necessity to move it from aspiration to reality.
“It is wishful thinking to assume that Anioma will simply fall into place without negotiation or active legislative participation.
“Signing off the interests of the people without awaiting a referendum is hasty and reflects the same patterns that have historically weakened the Igbo position through boycotts of elections and boycotts of the census, only to end up politically disadvantaged.
“If the process clearly favours the creation of a state, refusing to negotiate or rejecting the momentum gives undue advantage to others. It will not stall the process because it is already firmly on course.
“Let it be known to all sons and daughters of Delta North that their interests appear to be the least considered by these individuals. It is ironic that politicians who previously asserted their Igbo identity for personal ambition now advance arguments that contradict constitutional provisions and undermine our long-standing call for unity as Nigerian citizens.
“Ethnic sentiment cannot be used by one faction within a political unit to override truth, law, or the legitimate aspirations of the people.
“The National Assembly remains the driving force behind this project, working with clarity and purpose. What we are witnessing is a calculated attempt to dampen morale by rushing to announce a refusal rooted in ethnic bias. APC members should not be distracted.
“This is a people’s interest project anchored on equity and national balance. For now, this is a National Assembly project. State Assembly members should wait for the referendum, which will ultimately test the will of the people.”