The people of Igbanke community in Edo State have reaffirmed their commitment to be part of the proposed Anioma State, dismissing a petition against Senator Ned Nwoko as false, misleading, and without the mandate of the community.
In an open letter dated September 2, 2025, and addressed to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Akiko Uwa Social Cultural Initiative of Igbanke described the petition by a little-known group, Aiguobasinmwin Movement (AM), as “gross misinformation” and an attempt to distort the genuine aspirations of the Igbanke people.
“Contrary to the claims in the petition, Senator Ned Nwoko is not inciting unrest. We, the people of Igbanke, approached him and solicited his assistance as a trusted leader of Anioma origin, whom we regard as a compassionate figure,” the group declared.
They stressed that Igbanke is an Ika-Anioma speaking community with ethnic, cultural, and linguistic ties to Anioma. “Our kings were historically called Obis before colonial changes imposed Bini titles. Our desire to join Anioma State is lawful, constitutional, and rooted in cultural identity,” the letter stated.
On the legality of the petition, the group said AM is not registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and lacks standing to speak for Igbanke. “The signatories are not from Igbanke; they do not speak our dialect, understand our traditions, or represent our people,” it added.
The letter, signed by prominent sons and daughters of Igbanke, including Pastor Nwachukwu Ugbekile, Chief Jude Ogbekile, and Dr. Ifeanyi Egede, urged the House of Representatives to dismiss the petition as constitutionally baseless and protect the cultural rights of the Igbanke people.
“Igbanke’s call for inclusion in Anioma State and creation of a local government are lawful, constitutional, and a peaceful expression of our right to self-determination,” the community insisted.
