Ned Nwoko, the senator for Delta North, has asserted that the Southeast region of Nigeria has faced marginalization, and the establishment of a sixth state would help ease their agitation.
In an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, he noted that the Southeast is the only region with just five states, while most other regions have six, with the Northwest having seven.
He expressed optimism that the Federal Government would create a new state from Delta State, which would serve as either a seventh state for the South-South or a sixth state for the Southeast.
Nwoko emphasized that the Anioma people in Delta State identify as Igbos and could become part of the Southeast’s sixth state. He stated, “The creation of Anioma State is very feasible and reflects our desire for self-determination. My constituency includes nine local government areas, six of which are oil and gas producers, and our predominantly agricultural communities have suffered due to oil pollution.
“We have been advocating for statehood for over 50 years. The Anioma people are proud Igbos, and we will be recognized as the sixth Ndigbo State. The Federal Government is expected to create a new state to address Igbo marginalization.
“The Southeast is the only region in Nigeria with just five states, while others have six or seven. Can this situation be considered anything other than marginalization? The youths involved in groups like IPOB and ESN are raising these concerns about their marginalization, primarily due to the unequal number of states.
“If we, the Igbos from the area often referred to as Bendel or Western Igbo, are granted a state, it could become the sixth in the Southeast or the seventh in the South-South. This would give the average Igbo person a sense that their needs are being acknowledged.”
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