Ukwani leaders and Ndokwa Elders Forum (ULNEF) in Delta State have vowed to resist attempt to lump Ndokwa/Ukwani Federal Constituency with any state, including Anioma in the troubled Southeast geopolitical zone as proposed in a bill sponsored by Ned Nwoko, senator representing Delta North Senatorial District.
At a meeting in Ashaka, leaders from the three local governments: Ndokwa East, Ndokwa West and Ukwani, they vowed not to allow anybody, group or entity under any guise, to subjugate their oil-rich nation, comprising three economically viable councils.
The Ndokwa Nation also restated the position of General Mike Ndubisi-led Ndokwa Neku Union (NNU) on its opposition to creation of Anioma state in Southeast, saying if there was to be Anioma state, it must be in Southsouth and Southeast.
The forum warned it would never go back on its stance, saying whoever intends to hoodwink and lump Ukwani/Ndosumili speaking ethnic nationality with Southeast would be resisted.
A statement signed by Chief Dele Omenogor and Francis Otunuya Idigbe, chair and secretary, with other stakeholders, said Ndosumili/Ukwani speaking ethnic nationality, through NNU, has stated its position on creation of Anioma state in Southsouth as against ‘the sinister motives’ behind the proposition to be part of an Anioma State in Southeast.
The elders, however, requested creation of Ndokwa state from Delta, and cautioned those bent on merging Ndokwa with Southeast without the people’s consent.
“We stand on NNU declaration. Our nation will never be part of any state in Southeast but will happily align with any state in Southsouth. Our nation is oblivious to the content of the bill sponsored by Senator Ned Nwoko for creation of Anioma State in Southeast. We reject this. We didn’t ask him to represent us in this instance.
“Again, we state that our nation dissociates itself from any arrangement by an individual, group or institution, who intends to merge Ndokwa with any state in Southeast. Nobody, under any guise, can subjugate our oil-rich nation, comprising three economically viable councils,” the statement reads.
The meeting called on Nwoko to withdraw the bill if the content included Ndokwa nation in an Anioma state in Southeast as rumoured.
“To us, such bill that tends to make Ndokwa/Ukwani Federal Constituency part of Anioma in Southeast is a no, no, and this position is not negotiable.”
Ndokwa elders called on Chair of the Senate Committee on Constitutional Review, Jibrin Barau, Chair of House Committee on Review of 1999 Constitution, Benjamin Kalu, and others to disregard any document that names Ndokwa nation in any state outside Southsouth.
The forum urged Senate President, Godswill Akpabio and Speaker of House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas to disregard any document that do not have its root from the position of NNU and other stakeholders in Ndokwa.
The statement appealed to National Security Adviser, to the President, Nuhu Ribadu, and heads of security agencies to call those who wish to cause crisis in Delta North using misrepresentation, to order, saying nobody can armtwist or subvert the will of Ndokwa.
The statement emphasised the non-negotiable stance of Ndokwa/Ukwani leaders and Ndokwa Elders Forum towards creation of Anioma in the Southsouth.
