Senator Ned Nwoko has declared that lasting peace will only return to the South-East if the Federal Government takes two decisive actions — the creation of Anioma State and the release of detained IPOB leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
The Delta North lawmaker said the region’s persistent unrest is rooted in decades of political and structural marginalisation, stressing that correcting these injustices would restore calm and unity across the South-East.
Speaking during a televised interview, Senator Nwoko stated:
“The problem in the South-East has to do with the perceived injustice by successive governments. So, what needs to be done is the creation of a new state to make up the number to six, and then the release of Nnamdi Kanu. By the time you do these two things, I am almost certain that peace will return to the South-East.”
He described Kanu’s continued detention as “unfair and unnecessary,” insisting that his release would represent a major gesture of reconciliation and national healing.
Senator Nwoko, who is leading the push for the creation of Anioma State out of Delta State, said the move would correct the long-standing imbalance in Nigeria’s geopolitical structure and finally give the South-East equal representation with other zones.
He revealed that the Joint Committee of the Senate and House of Representatives on Constitution Review had already approved the creation of an additional state in the South-East — a development that has reignited conversations about equity and inclusion in the region.
“Now, what has happened is that the National Assembly has put together a committee to decide which state to choose. There are about seven states from the South-East, and we are one of them. At the public hearing in Enugu, we also presented our case, so I am almost certain that we will be chosen,” Nwoko explained.
The senator expressed optimism that President Bola Tinubu would support the creation of Anioma State, describing it as one of the most significant legacies his administration could bequeath to the people of Anioma and the wider Igbo community.
“The president understands the importance of unity and inclusion. Supporting Anioma State would be a monumental step — a gift not just to Anioma people, but to the entire South-East,” Nwoko added.
POLITICS NIGERIA recalls that Nnamdi Kanu has remained in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) since June 2021 following his re-arrest. He is currently facing terrorism-related charges before the Federal High Court in Abuja.
In a related development, the Joint Committee of the National Assembly recently approved the creation of six new states across the country. The decision was one of the key outcomes of a two-day constitutional review retreat chaired by Senate Deputy President, Senator Barau Jibrin, and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Benjamin Kalu, held in Lagos over the weekend.
