Senator Victor Umeh, Chairman of the Senate Committee on National Identity and Population, lauded the National Assembly’s recent decision to approve the creation of an additional state for the South-East geopolitical zone.
He characterized the move as a long-overdue act of “justice, equity and fairness,” and a “bold step toward healing and unity” that will finally address decades of structural marginalization.
Umeh stated that this demand is not new, recalling that as far back as the 2014 National Conference, all 492 delegates unanimously agreed that the South-East deserved one extra state before any other creation requests could be considered.
The Senator highlighted that the Joint Committee considered 55 requests for new states nationwide, but prioritized the South-East’s request first. This decision, he said, is a recognition of the region being historically “short-change[d]” in state creation.
He stressed that once the South-East obtains its sixth state, future state creation processes can then proceed on an “equal basis” across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.
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