Senator representing Delta North, Ned Nwoko, has said that lasting peace will continue to elude the South-East region unless the Federal Government addresses the perceived marginalisation that has fuelled decades of agitation.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, Nwoko identified the creation of Anioma State and the release of detained Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader, Nnamdi Kanu, as two key actions that could restore calm and unity in the region.
"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 said.
The South-East has remained a flashpoint of unrest in recent years, largely driven by separatist movements agitating for an independent state of Biafra.
Security challenges, sit-at-home orders, and violent clashes have taken a toll on the region’s economy and social life.
Nwoko, who is spearheading the campaign for the creation of Anioma State from Delta State, said the move would correct the long-standing imbalance that leaves the South-East with only five states, compared to six or more in other geopolitical zones.
On the continued detention of Kanu, the senator described the IPOB leader’s situation as unjust, stressing that his incarceration since 2021 has been the main source of tension in the region.
"Kanu is being held unjustly. His release will douse the anger and insecurity that have engulfed the South-East for years," he said.
Kanu has been in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) since June 2021, facing terrorism charges at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Several political and traditional leaders from the region have repeatedly called for a political solution to his case.
Meanwhile, the Joint Committee of the Senate and House of Representatives on Constitution Review has reportedly approved the creation of an additional state in the South-East.
"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 proposed from the South-East, and we are one of them. At the public hearing in Enugu, we presented our case, and I am almost certain that we will be chosen," he said.
The lawmaker further stated that President Bola Tinubu would support the creation of Anioma State, describing it as a historic gesture that would bring a sense of inclusion and justice to the Igbo people.
"If President Tinubu approves Anioma State, it will be the best gift he can give to the people of Anioma and the Igbo nation as a whole," he said.
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