Influential socio-political group, Club Anio 50, has thrown its weight behind Senator Ned Nwoko in the renewed agitation for the creation of Anioma State, urging unity and warning detractors against politicising the movement.
In a statement jointly signed by President Matthew Udeze Oweleke and Secretary Chidi Ubah, the group expressed concern over “disingenuous and unnecessary controversies” being stoked by individuals seeking personal relevance at the expense of Anioma’s collective interest.
Comprising prominent professionals and political figures from Delta North Senatorial District, Club Anio 50 reaffirmed its long-standing commitment to the Anioma State cause — a struggle, it noted, that predates the creation of Delta State and even influenced Asaba’s selection as state capital in 1991.
The group dismissed as baseless claims that Senator Nwoko was pursuing the agenda for personal gain or without wide consultation, insisting that the agitation for Anioma State is an age-old movement, not the invention of any single politician.
Club Anio 50 condemned attempts to divide Anioma people along ethnic or geopolitical lines, particularly the argument that Anioma is not part of the Igbo cultural bloc. “At a time Nigeria is searching for unity in diversity, we must not promote diversity in unity,” the group stated.
Reaffirming its commitment to the cause, Club Anio 50 urged all Anioma sons and daughters to close ranks, warning that internal divisions could derail decades of advocacy. “We must not destroy the foundation we have spent decades building,” it cautioned.
