Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the foremost sociocultural organization representing the Igbo people, has strongly opposed the recent proposal by the House of Representatives to create 31 new states.
The group denounced the proposal as lacking credibility and failing to meet the essential criteria for viable state creation.
Commending the Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu, for rejecting the proposal, Ohanaeze described the initiative as an immature and ill-conceived exercise that threatens the integrity of the legislative process.
The organization stated that any discourse on state creation must prioritize the Southern region, which has historically suffered from underrepresentation.
Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, Deputy President General Ohanaeze Ndigbo, said in a statement: “We urgently appeal to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to summon the political will and moral strength necessary to correct this longstanding imbalance in state representation.
“The political and economic advantages enjoyed by the North, due in large part to its nineteen states, must be counterbalanced by the creation of two additional states in the South.
Our immediate recommendation is that the first of these new states be established in the Southeast, which currently consists of just five states.
“It is imperative that the Southeast achieves parity with other geopolitical zones, particularly the Northwest, which boasts seven states.”
Specifically, Ohanaeze proposed that the Southeast, which currently has only five states compared to the Northwest’s seven, should receive one of the new states.
The second state, it suggested, should be allocated to either the Southwest or South-South regions to ensure fair representation.
Calling for urgent action, Ohanaeze asserted that rectifying these imbalances is critical to national unity and justice.
The organization reaffirmed its commitment to equity and urged President Tinubu to take decisive steps toward a more balanced and inclusive Nigeria.
(Prompt news)