“Proposal Further Marginalizes South-East” – Ohanaeze Youths Reject Additional Five States, Slam Lawmakers

The Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide has strongly opposed the proposal to create five additional states in the South-East as part of the ongoing constitutional review by Nigeria’s House of Representatives. The youth wing of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organization condemned the move, arguing that it would only deepen the marginalization of the region.

On Thursday, the House Committee on Constitution Review proposed the creation of 31 new states across the country, which would bring the total number of states to 67 if approved. Among the proposed new states are Etiti, Orashi, Adada, Orlu, and Aba in the South-East. Other states suggested include Okun, Okura, Confluence, Benue Ala, Apa, FCT, Amana, Katagum, Savannah, Muri, New Kaduna, Gujarat, Tiga, Ari, Kainji, Ogoja, Warri, Ori, Obolo, Torumbe, Ibadan, Lagoon, Ogun, Ijebu, and Oke Ogun/Ijesha.

In a statement released on Friday, the National President of Ohanaeze Youth Council Worldwide, Mazi Okwu Nnabuike, expressed disappointment over the allocation of only five additional states to the South-East, while other regions received more. He noted that the South-East, which currently has the least number of states, has been advocating for an additional state since the return to democracy in 1999 but has repeatedly faced resistance.

Okwu criticized the proposal, stating that it failed to address the long-standing imbalance in Nigeria’s political structure. He urged the National Assembly to reconsider the decision to avoid escalating tensions in the region. According to him, a fair and just approach would be to grant the South-East two additional states first, before ensuring that all regions have an equal number of states.

He also took aim at lawmakers from the South-East for allowing a proposal that he described as unfair to the region. He called on them to push for amendments that would correct the disparity and promote national unity.