0
0
Senator Osita Izunaso, who represents Imo West, has announced that the Nigerian Senate is currently considering a bill for the creation of a new state in the South-East geopolitical zone, to be named Anim.
Speaking at a media briefing in Abuja on Friday, June 13, Izunaso revealed that the bill has already passed its second reading and is now before the Senate Committee on Constitution Review. He explained that the proposed Anim State would be carved out of parts of Anambra and Imo states.
“It’s not a favour, it’s a matter of equity. Every other region in the country has six states, except the South-East, which has only five,” the senator said.
Izunaso highlighted the structural imbalance in Nigeria’s federal system, pointing out that while the North-West has seven states, the North-East, North-Central, South-West, and South-South zones each have six. According to him, this disparity has left the South-East politically and structurally disadvantaged, contributing to long-standing grievances in the region.
He emphasized that the process for creating a new state would follow all democratic procedures, including a referendum. “You can’t create a state by fiat. People must agree through a referendum. That’s how democracy works,” he said.
