Ohanaeze Ndigbo has urged President Bola Tinubu to address the imbalance in state creation by granting the Southeast an additional state. The group argues that the North’s 19-state advantage marginalizes the South, calling for equity and urging Tinubu to take decisive action to correct historical injustices.
Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the apex Igbo socio-cultural group, has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to address the historical imbalance in state creation by granting additional states to the South-East and South-South regions.
In a statement released in Abakaliki, Deputy President-General Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro emphasized the need for political courage to correct the disparity, highlighting that the North currently has 19 states compared to the South’s 17. He argued that this imbalance has long marginalized the South and reinforced political and economic advantages for the North.
The call follows a proposal by the House of Representatives for the creation of 31 new states, which Ohanaeze dismissed as unrealistic and lacking constitutional merit. The organization commended Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu for rejecting the proposal, stating that a more balanced approach is necessary.
Ohanaeze maintains that any future state-creation efforts should prioritize the South-East, which currently has only five states—the lowest among Nigeria’s geopolitical zones. The group insists that achieving parity with the North-West, which has seven states, is essential for fairness.
Additionally, they propose another state for either the South-South or South-West to further address regional disparities. They urge President Tinubu to take decisive action, emphasizing that this move is crucial for national unity and justice.
