By Austin Ogwuda
SENATOR representing Delta North Senatorial District in the National Assembly and Sponsor of the Bill for the creation of Anioma State, Senator Ned Nwoko has promised to pay the transportation and other logistics for all those travelling to Abuja to participate in the Public Hearing when the time comes.
He announced this while addressing Anioma Stakeholders’ Summit held at Grand Hotel, Asaba, Delta State, Nigeria, weekend.
Nwoko told the large crowd at the venue that he was very optimistic that Anioma State will surely be created and does not matter whatever nomenclature they will be adopting.
His words, “Why am I so confident about the creation of Anioma State.
Why? – is because I am a Senator. You elected me as your Senator and I will speak fearlessly. I will speak in support of your interests.
“In getting to the Senate I was lucky to be a member of a very special Committee. I didn’t lobby for it. They choose the best according to them – that is the Committee on Constitution Amendments of the Senate.
Let me tell you about this Committee, it is called the Elite Committee of the Senate. There are 37 Senators representing each State of the Federation and FCT. So, I was nominated as a Member of this Committee representing Delta State. I know what is happening; we sat and discussed and I know that there is this clamour to create one State.
“There is this understanding that the President wants to create one State in the South. This State whatever nomenclature they want to use it doesn’t matter. The fact is is that South East has only five States isn’t it so? They want to create a State for South East; I believe that Anioma State should be created whether it is in the South East, South South or North Central, even in Midwest, it does not matter, what matters is, let them create a State for us.
“So I am taking steps and this particular event is one of these steps. You (gathering) are part of the history that we are about to make.
I am not going to go from house to house telling Anioma people that we must create a State because they know.
“I have seen Reports, I have seen Records about the efforts of the Orewas, the Asagba’s, name them for decades, time has come for the result.
So I am there in the Senate and I am doing my beat.
“The Bill for the creation of Anioma State has gone through the First Reading and before the end of this year, it will go through the Second Reading. There will be Public Hearing later on. And at the time of Public Hearing, virtually all of you here I want you in Abuja at my own cost. I will make money available for all of you to show your support for the Anioma State”, he promised