Senator Victor Umeh, Chairman of the Senate Committee on National Identity and Population, has commended the National Assembly’s approval for the creation of an additional state in Nigeria’s South-East region, describing it as a long-overdue act of justice, equity, and fairness. Speaking during an interview on Arise Television, Umeh noted that the decision represents a bold step toward healing national divisions and promoting unity among Nigeria’s diverse regions.
He recalled that the agitation for another state in the South-East is not new, citing the 2014 National Conference, where all 492 delegates unanimously agreed that the region deserved an extra state before further demands from other regions could be considered. Umeh praised the recent decision of the Senate and House of Representatives as a reaffirmation of that consensus and a recognition of historical imbalances in Nigeria’s political structure, PUNCH report.
According to the senator, the Joint Committee on State Creation received 55 requests from across the country but reached a unanimous agreement that the South-East should be prioritized due to its long-standing underrepresentation. Umeh emphasized that once the South-East gets its additional state, subsequent state creation efforts would be treated equitably across all six geopolitical zones, ensuring fairness and national inclusion.
