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The foremost Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has urged the federal government to create two additional states in the Southeast, citing long-standing regional imbalances. In a statement, Deputy President General, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, criticized the disparity in state distribution, emphasizing that the North’s 19 states place the South—limited to 17—at an undue disadvantage.
According to Ohanaeze, this imbalance in resource allocation has reinforced a political framework that grants undue dominance to the North, thereby undermining the South’s political ambitions and influence.
“In light of these historical injustices, we passionately implore President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to exhibit the political will and moral courage required to rectify this imbalance.
“The time has come to create two additional states in the South, with an immediate priority accorded to establishing a sixth state in the Southeast.
“This urgent measure is not merely a suggestion but a requisite action to ensure that the Southeast, currently comprising only five states, achieves parity with other geopolitical zones, particularly the Northwest which boasts seven states.
“The Ohanaeze Ndigbo, as the quintessential voice of the Igbo people, hereby expresses its vehement opposition to the House of Representatives’ recent proposal concerning the creation of thirty-one new states.
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“This initiative is not only a farce but also an exercise in futility, lacking the credibility and thoughtful consideration that befits such a significant constitutional matter.
“The bold assertion made by the leadership of the House, particularly through the Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu, who has succinctly dispelled the notion that the proposed states meet requisite constitutional criteria, is commendable and necessary.
“We acknowledge his clarification as an essential step in restoring the dignity of our revered legislative body. It is both premature and juvenile for the House of Representatives to entertain such an ill-considered proposal, one that reflects a fundamental misunderstanding of what constitutes a viable state within our great nation,” he said.
