Delta State was carved out of the former Bendel State on 27 August 1991. The state was created following agitations for the creation of a separate distinct state by the peoples of the old Delta Province: the Urhobos, Ijaw Izon, Isoko, Itsekiri and Ukwuani (later joined Anioma). There was yet another state creation movement designated as “Niger State” comprising the old midwestern Igbo-speaking Asaba divisions and Ukwuani-speaking Aboh division of the old Midwest region. This was transformed into “Anioma” following the creation of Niger State from the old Northwestern State by the Murtala Muhammed administration in 1976. The then Military President, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, created the state using the name “Delta” advanced by Niger Delta region and “Asaba” a prominent town within the “Anioma” axis as capital. Asaba was designated as capital of the proposed Anioma State. The proposed capital was a virgin land or “Anioma city” in the heart of the two constituent divisions that had evolved to become the Anioma area. Delta state was once integrated in the Mid Western state from 1963 to 1976 and later Bendel state, from 1976 to 1991. The name “Bendel” (Ben-Del) coined from the old Benin and Delta Provinces of Western Region-Delta to reflect the integration of Benin and Delta provinces.