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As the South-East region continues to yearn for greater representation, the Council of Traditional Rulers has made a fervent case to President Bola Tinubu, presenting a robust argument for the creation of two additional states that would address the zone’s unique challenges and unlock its vast potential.
During a presentation at the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Forum in Abuja, Igwe Samuel Asadu, Chairman of the Council, revealed that the request was a key outcome of the council’s previous meeting, highlighting a unified commitment to driving progress.
Igwe Samuel Asadu explained that the request for two additional states aimed to rectify the existing disparity in state creation, as the southeast zone currently has only five states, lagging behind other regions in terms of representation.
He said: “At a meeting, which was well attended by the traditional rulers in the zone, we agreed that we will accept any state creation from any part of the eastern states.
“We are united in this struggle. We have five states in the south-east, so we need to have two more states to be even.
“But whatever we get, we thank the president. We are at his mercy and God bless him for that.
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“So when the state is given to us, we will endorse it. It does not matter where it comes from, it does not matter whose lawmaker sponsored the bill.
On the clamour for constitutional roles for the traditional institutions, Asadu said: ”We want to have some constitutional relevance, some constitutional powers.
”Our monthly release of five per cent of the local government allocation to traditional rulers in the state have not been given by state governments.
“Traditional rulers play an important role in communicating government policies and programmes to members of the community,” he said.
According to him, traditional leaders act as crucial intermediaries in conveying government programmes and policies to the local populace, thereby facilitating a deeper connection between the government and the people.
