Okowa moves against additional state for Southeast

Immediate past Delta State governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, has openly kicked against additional state for the Southeast to bring the region at par with other regions of the country.

Okowa is not mincing words as he has faulted Senator Ned Nwoko on the push for Anioma State, accusing him of scheming to cede Anioma to the South East and cancel Asaba as state capital.

He wants Anioma to be a part of the South south region which already has six states. Adding Anioma to the South south when it is created will make the region to have seven states while the Southeast which has been accusing the country of marginalization will remain five states.

Addressing All Progressives Congress (APC) stakeholders on Tuesday in Oshimili South Local Government Area in the ongoing consultations over his 2027 ambition to return to the Senate, Okowa said contrary to Nwoko’s disposition, Delta North people desire Anioma State to be created as part of the South South geopolitical zone and not a bloc of the South East.

The governor, breaking his silence on the quest for Anioma State, told party supporters, “There’s been a lot of misconceptions, a lot of misrepresentation in the media concerning Anioma State.

“I don’t believe there is any Anioma son opposed to the creation of Anioma State. Not me as people try to portray. And the Anioma that we seek, that the people collectively wish for, is that they want the Anioma made up of the nine local governments that will be resident in the South South geopolitical zone, with Asaba as headquarters.”

Apparently referring to Nwoko, whom he (Okowa) aims to unseat in the race for the 2027 Delta North seat in the Senate, the ex-governor said, “An Asaba daughter fought for us and today we have Asaba as headquarters (state capital).

“Somebody who doesn’t even understand how it came suddenly wants to wish away that headquarters. It’s terrible. It’s unwise. Common sense should have told him that what he’s doing is wrong.

“We know the borders of the headquarters. And Asaba is growing beyond bounds. Nothing will stop the growth of Asaba.”

The former governor further chided Nwoko for prosecuting the Anioma State creation as a one-man show, affirming he would have done better with consultative representation.

He asserted, “It’s important that when we’re pursuing something, you must be in touch with your people. You must know what the majority want. When you believe you know it all, you go the wrong path.

“I don’t know it all. Talking with them, we shall collectively know it all and take the right action. I want to make it categorically clear that if you know the timetable of the legislature, you know we’re already quarter to go.

“Who is talking about state creation now. Obviously, he’s trying to deceive his people. We don’t want any deceit. We will continue to desire Anioma State. And when it will come, it will be the collective decision of our people.

“It shall be a state that those of us in Anioma and the sitting governor will collectively stand up and say we want this and it is possible.”