Ugochinyere, Other South-East Lawmakers Endorse Creation Of Anim State

A major breakthrough in the long-standing agitation for additional States in the South-East has emerged as the member representing Ideato North/South Federal Constituency of Imo State in the House of Representatives, Hon. Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, announced that lawmakers from the State and a majority of their South-East counterparts have unanimously adopted Anim State as the consensus State proposal for the region.

The proposed Anim State, which would become the sixth state in the South-East geopolitical zone, is expected to be carved out of parts of Anambra and Imo States, with Ideato Federal Constituency positioned to emerge as a senatorial zone within the new entity.

Ugochinyere, who had earlier sponsored a bill for the creation of Orlu State, said the harmonisation into the Anim State project followed an extensive meeting of South-East lawmakers held late Tuesday night in Abuja.

“Last night, after an extensive meeting with our distinguished Senator Osita Izunaso and my colleagues from Imo State, wherein Ideato Federal Constituency interest is captured and assured in the proposed Anim State which will be carved out from Anambra and Imo State, I, alongside the entire lawmakers from Imo State, unanimously signed and adopted Anim State as the consensus state we will be backing,” Ugochinyere stated.

According to him, the consensus move signalled the end of weeks of consultations and internal negotiations among South-East representatives. He said the Anim State proposal captures the key aspirations behind his earlier Orlu State agenda, particularly ensuring equitable representation and economic viability for the region.

“The Anim proposal captures the agenda of a long-overdue state for the South-East, which should emerge from the old Imo and Anambra bloc, the same foundation for my Orlu State proposal, now harmonized into Anim State,” he explained.

Ugochinyere noted that the new state has strong economic potential, particularly in the gas sector, which could sustain its development and ensure financial independence.

He also revealed that the formal proposal for Anim State had been presented before lawmakers from across the South-East, who voted by majority to adopt it as the region’s official consensus for state creation.

“Our formal proposal for Anim State was presented before our brother lawmakers from the South-East who, by majority votes, have chosen Anim State as the consensus proposal for the region’s agitation for an additional state,” he said.

“Consideration and voting for the second option—Adada and Anioma proposals, are still ongoing as I speak.”

The lawmaker expressed appreciation to his colleagues and other leaders from the region for the unity and cooperation that led to the agreement.

“Let me use this opportunity to thank my brother, Senator Osita Izunaso, and my honourable colleagues from Imo State and the entire South-East for the show of love, consensus, sacrifice, and understanding that brought weeks of searching for harmonization to an end,” Ugochinyere said.

“The critical point here is that no matter our desires, the interest of our people must always remain supreme. The East has spoken, and we hope our brothers from other parts of the country will join this struggle to ensure we reach the desired destination.”

With the consensus now reached among South-East lawmakers, attention is expected to shift to the National Assembly, where advocates will push for broad legislative and national support for the creation of Anim State as part of efforts to ensure equity and inclusiveness in Nigeria’s federal structure.