The Anioma State Creation Movement has praised the National Assembly Joint Committee on Constitution Review for unanimously endorsing the creation of a new state in the South-East region of Nigeria.
In a statement issued on Sunday in Lagos, the group’s Media Director, Chief Tonnie Oganah, described the decision as a bold and historic step towards equity, fairness and the restoration of balance within Nigeria’s federal structure.
Oganah said the endorsement, reached during a two-day retreat in Lagos, marks a major breakthrough in the decades-long agitation for an additional state in the South-East.
He noted that the South-East remains the only geopolitical zone with five states – Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo – compared with other zones which each have six states, except the North-West with seven.
According to him, the National Assembly’s decision signals a crucial move towards justice for the Igbo people and the fulfilment of the constitutional principle of fairness among the six geopolitical zones.
Oganah thanked the lawmakers for acknowledging the South-East’s sustained demand for parity, adding that the decision reflects the spirit of national inclusion and balance.
“Anioma people support this proposal as the first step towards equalising the Igbo nation in Nigeria,” he said.
He further argued that ensuring all six geopolitical zones have an equal number of states – preferably seven each as in the North-West – would strengthen democracy, promote unity and enhance the credibility of the federal system.
Economic and Cultural Benefits
Oganah also highlighted the economic advantages of creating Anioma State, noting that it would stimulate job creation, empower young people and enhance grassroots development.
He commended Senator Ned Nwoko, representing Delta North, for his ongoing efforts towards the realisation of Anioma State by 2025.
“The creation of Anioma State is not just a local aspiration – it is a step towards restoring fairness in Nigeria’s federal structure and empowering the Igbo people politically and economically,” he said.
On cultural identity, Oganah reaffirmed that the proposed state is an integral part of the Igbo nation and should naturally be situated within the South-East.
“Even though we have lived peacefully in the South-South, our cultural identity remains clear. Anioma means ‘the good land’, and it deserves its place among its brothers in the South-East,” he added.
