Anioma State Proposal Sparks Fresh Push for Equitable Federalism

The proposal to create Anioma State, for the Southeast, has gained support from over 90 Senators in the 10th National Assembly, a development that signals a major step toward addressing long-standing concerns over Southeast underrepresentation.

Senate Bill 481, introduced by Delta North Senator Ned Nwoko as part of the ongoing constitutional amendment process, seeks to create Anioma State as the sixth state in the Southeast geopolitical zone. The bill has already surpassed the two-thirds majority threshold required in the Senate, setting the stage for serious legislative consideration.

This proposal has garnered rare bipartisan support across regional and religious lines, with prominent figures such as Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, Senate Leader Michael Opeyemi Bamidele, and Senate Chief Whip Abba Moro backing the initiative. Other supporters include former governors Adams Oshiomhole (Edo), Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa), Orji Uzor Kalu (Abia), and respected Southeast politician Victor Umeh.

Nwoko, in a letter dated May 27, 2025, urged Senate President Godswill Akpabio and colleagues to advance the bill in the interest of equity, justice, and national cohesion. Political observers say the bill marks a transition from grassroots agitation to legislative momentum.

The constitutional reform process has also gained traction in other regions. In Calabar, Cross River Governor Bassey Otu advocated for state creation, women and disability inclusion, and state police. Meanwhile, Bayelsa, Delta, and Edo State governments pushed for fiscal federalism, resource control, and more local governments at a separate House of Representatives hearing in Yenagoa.

Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa emphasized the need for a fairer federal structure, calling the current distribution of resources and local governments “deeply unjust.” Delta’s Deputy Governor Sir Monday Onyeme demanded environmental justice and greater revenue control, while Edo’s Attorney General Dr. Samson Osagie voiced support for police and electoral reforms—though he rejected the idea of carving out territory for a new state.

The Constitution Review Committee, led by Prof. Julius Ihonvbere, affirmed that only a transparent, participatory process would ensure inclusive national development.

The support for Anioma State marks a pivotal moment in Nigeria’s federal evolution, particularly in the historically marginalized Southeast. Should the proposal pass through both legislative chambers and gain presidential assent, it would rebalance geopolitical representation, bringing the Southeast from five to six states, equal with other regions.

At a broader level, the Anioma State debate has become a catalyst for nationwide constitutional reform. From calls for fiscal federalism in the Niger Delta to demands for state policing and gender inclusion, Nigeria is entering a transformative phase that could redefine governance, resource control, and federal-state relations.

However, resistance from some quarters, and the success of these reforms, will depend not just on legislative thresholds but on navigating Nigeria’s intricate ethnic, political, and economic fault lines.