The Dein of Agbor Kingdom in Ika South Local Government Area of Delta State, HRM Benjamin Ikenchukwu, Keagborekuzi 1, has warned against the politisation of the agitation for the creation of Anioma State.
The monarch also warned against grouping Anioma as one of the states in the South-East geopolitical zone upon creation, noting that Anioma, particularly Ika people would prefer to remain as part South-South region.
Keagborekuzi 1spoke at Stakeholders Summit organised by the lawmaker representing Delta North at the National Assembly, Senator Ned Nwoko, in Asaba, Delta State capital, weekend.
The royal father, who was the Special Guest Speaker at the event, urged stakeholders behind the creation of Anioma State Movement not to promote disintegration of the country.
While giving his speech, Dein of Agbor thanked Senator Nwoko for the move and reminded him of the need to keep politics out of the Anioma State Movement, stressing the “importance of the state and how it is a dream for all ethnicities (Ika, Ndokwa, & Aniocha-Oshimili) within the Anioma hegemony.”
He also advised the lawmaker to keep the movement for creation of Anioma State from disintegrating Nigeria considering the move is being hijacked by some loyalists of separatist group, IPOB, seeking to create their own country out of Nigeria.
This further remphasised the stance of Ika people since Sen Ned Nwoko proposed the bill for creation of the State;
Onu Ika, the top socio cultural and political organization representing the Ika Ethnic Nation- “Anioma state will only be considered if it is in the old Midwestern region/ South South Region, and not the South East.”
Ikoro Agbor, Agbor Youths group said “Agbor Kingdom has no shared history, governing commonality, or association with the Igbo, before or after British Colonialism & Agbor Kingdom remain United in the quest for Anioma State”
Owa Progressives in Owa Kingdom also believed “wholeheartedly supported the creation of Anioma State as part of the South-South region to address misrepresentation of its people. This will also help boost economic activities within the region. However we reject the annexation of the ANIOMA region to the South East Region”
