Fresh insights have emerged into the motivation behind Senator Ned Nwoko’s unwavering commitment to the creation of Anioma State.

Addressing journalists in Lagos on Tuesday, Chief Tonia Ositadinma Oganah, Media Director for the Anioma State Creation Campaign, dismissed insinuations that the Delta North Senator’s advocacy is driven by personal ambition.

Oganah, a lawyer, publisher, and public affairs analyst, clarified that Senator Nwoko’s efforts are rooted in genuine concern for the development and political inclusion of the Anioma people.

He said the recent South-South and South-East Zonal Senate Public Hearings on the Constitution Review, held in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State and Enugu respectively, provided an important platform to foreground the Anioma State demand.

“Senator Ned Nwoko is genuinely concerned that his Delta North constituency deserves a more prominent place in the Nigerian political structure,” Oganah stated. “He is working closely with the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government to secure better opportunities for his people.”

He stressed that the creation of Anioma State would usher in widespread human and infrastructural development, stimulate job creation, improve security, address marginalisation, and foster mutual co-existence among the region’s ethnic groups.

Calling for unity among the Anioma people, Oganah urged political leaders in the region to avoid rancour, pettiness, and misinformation, and instead rally behind Nwoko and President Bola Tinubu in their collective pursuit of a better Nigeria.

He also recalled the appeal by a former spokesperson of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, who urged President Tinubu to support Anioma State creation as a means of correcting the imbalance in the number of states in the South-East geopolitical zone.

“I assure President Tinubu that by creating Anioma State, our Delta Igbo people will fully mobilise and vote for him en masse in 2027,” Oganah added.

On concerns about the economic viability of the proposed state, Oganah dismissed such fears as unfounded and “laughable.”

“From available records, a large portion of Anioma land contains high-grade crude oil and natural gas, Nigeria’s primary revenue sources,” he explained. “With these reserves, Anioma State would rank among the top oil-producing states in the country and receive substantial federal allocations.”

He further highlighted Anioma’s abundant human capital, noting that the region is home to highly skilled professionals across various sectors.

It is worth noting that the bill for the creation of Anioma State has already passed the first and second readings in the Senate, signaling growing legislative momentum for the proposal.