… I can’t stand against anything Anioma — Dr. Okowa
Tension is brewing in Delta State following allegations that former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa is allegedly lobbying members of the Delta State House of Assembly (DTHA) to sabotage ongoing efforts for the creation of Anioma State.
Multiple credible sources within political circles in Asaba and Abuja allege that the former governor, who hails from Owa-Alero in Delta North, has been allegedly reaching out to lawmakers to frustrate the constitutional process required for the new state’s emergence.
The move, if confirmed, is expected to provoke a major political backlash from Anioma leaders and constituents who have long clamored for statehood as a vehicle for equity and inclusion within Nigeria’s federal structure.
Stakeholders see the alleged maneuver as a betrayal of the Anioma cause, particularly from a political heavyweight widely perceived as a son of the soil.
Okowa, a former senator and vice-presidential candidate of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), in the 2023 general election, had publicly pledged support for issues affecting Delta North during his tenure.
Critics now argue that this alleged lobbying contradicts the very legacy he claimed to champion.
“This is not just disappointing, it’s politically damaging,” said a senior legislative aide familiar with the matter. “If the reports are true, then Dr. Okowa has turned his back on a generational aspiration.”
The process of creating a new state in Nigeria is rigorous, requiring the assent of two-thirds of state assemblies across the federation, including the endorsement of the host state’s legislature.
The Delta State House of Assembly, therefore, plays a pivotal role in either enabling or frustrating the realization of Anioma State.
In recent months, there have been intensified efforts toward actualizing the Anioma Statehood agenda.
These include mobilizing public support through zonal hearings, such as the upcoming session in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, setting up a dedicated technical committee on Sunday, June 15, 2025, and carrying out extensive consultations across communities within the proposed state boundaries.
The alleged efforts by Okowa, if confirmed, could place him at odds with both his constituents and the growing coalition of leaders rallying behind the movement.
Political observers say the development has reignited calls for transparency and unity among Delta North representatives, with youth groups, traditional leaders, and civil society organizations urging the DTHA to resist political manipulation and remain committed to the will of the people.
As agitation for Anioma State gains momentum at the national level, any perceived internal sabotage may not only stall the process but fracture the fragile political balance within Delta State’s three senatorial zones.
“The Anioma agenda is bigger than any one individual,” said a traditional leader from the region who simply identified himself as Chief Nkem. “Let no man, no matter how powerful, stand in the way of our collective future.”
The weeks ahead promise to be decisive as attention shifts to the Delta State Assembly and its position on the matter. For now, the people of Anioma await answers and accountability.
However, a question directed at the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Dennis Emomotimi Guwor, during a press briefing on Friday, June 13, 2025, at the Press Centre of the Assembly Complex in Asaba, concerning the allegation, appeared to rattle the leadership of the House as they marked their second anniversary.
Speaker Guwor said: “What has the house got to do with a law that has not been passed in the National Assembly? What is the correlation?
“That is very frivolous allegation and you know somebody can take you up on that by that allegation for defamation of character because you have just alleged that he is doing that.
“Have you done your investigation as a journalist to know whether truly he is doing that?
“My colleagues from Anioma, they were invited recently from information available to me, they were asked to sign for a Bill before the National Assembly and they told me that a copy of the Bill was not given to them. So their bone of contention is that they wants to see a copy.
“You cannot sign a document that is not before you, you cannot just sign on a plain sheet and then, you don’t know what that will amount to. So, after the meeting, they told me.
“Because when they went for the meeting, I was aware that they were going and when they returned, they told me that this is the situation.
“There was no Bill before them to sign. They were given a sheet of paper to sign and they rejected it vehemently that they cannot sign on a sheet of paper for a Bill at that level.
“So, you better find a way to retract that your allegation if it is not true, you need to investigate properly if not you can be taken up on it”, he said.
But addressing the matter at the just concluded Delta North APC Stakeholders Meeting, a chieftain of the party in the region, Chief Emma Ejiofor, said: “I hear some people are not too happy with our agenda, Anioma Agenda. I will plead with everyone of us to key in into Anioma State Creation.
“If you block our way, we will cross you because Anioma State is a done deal. I have heard from information that those of the House of Assembly members, they are not ready to sign the request, I want to assure you, if there is any member who will not agree to sign that request, we will prepare to recall that House of Assembly member.
“We have all it takes to do whatever we want this time. The senator cannot have as at now 75 Senators supporting him, then we are now struggling with nine local government House of Assembly members.
“Tell them whoever, that we are ready to crush that person and recall that person. It is a promise. So, Anioma State Creation, is a done deal”
Okowa Not Opposed to Anioma Agenda — CPS Ifeajika
However, the former Governor, Dr. Okowa, has dismissed claims suggesting he is working against the creation of Anioma State.
Speaking through his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Olise Ifeajika in a telephone conversation on Tuesday June 17, 2025, in reaction to the allegation, Okowa described it as unfounded and misleading.
Mr. Olise said: “Okowa, as an Anioma man known for championing the region’s development, cannot be against anything that promotes the Anioma cause,” he said.
He added that such claims are politically motivated and do not reflect the former governor’s long-standing commitment to Anioma’s progress.
Hear him: “Okowa, cannot as an Anioma man who everybody acknowledges that stands for Anioma development, he cannot be against anything Anioma.
“So that is not true”, he stated
