Additional state in South-East: Between viability and political expediency
By Chijioke Okoronkwo, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)
Four bills, presented recently before the National Assembly seeking the creation of an additional state in the South-East, have elicited debates among perceptive stakeholders.
The ensuing discourse is anchored on issues of viability, acceptability, desirability and the whys and wherefores of each of the proposed states.
Worthy of note, the quest has always been hinged on contentions of parity, equity and fairness—that all geo-political zones in the country have six states aside the South-East.
The four bills are seeking to alter the 1999 Constitution (as amended), increasing the number of states in the federation from 36 to 37.
For the benefit of hindsight, the projected states for the South-East are Orlu, bill sponsored Rep. Ikenga Ugochinyere, representing Ideato North/Ideato South Federal Constituency, and others, Etiti, bill sponsored by Amobi Ogah, representing Isikwuato/ Umunneochi Federal Constituency.
Others are Adada, bill sponsored by Sen. Okey Ezea, representing Enugu-North Senatorial District and Anioma, bill sponsored by Sen. Ned Nwoko, representing Delta-North Senatorial District.
The proposed Orlu state, according to the bill, will be carved out from Imo, Abia, and Anambra states; the proposed Adada state will be carved out of the present Enugu state.
The proposed Etiti will be carved out of five South-east states of Abia, Enugu, Anambra, Ebonyi, and Imo; the proposed Anioma state will comprise nine local government areas currently in Delta-North.
There is no gainsaying the fact that the lawmakers are embarking on the appropriate legal process as the 1999 Nigerian Constitutions stipulates.
The Constitution gave the criteria before the bill for an Act of the National Assembly for the purpose of creating a new State shall only be passed.
It says that there should be a request, supported by at least two-thirds majority of members (representing the area demanding the creation of the new State).
The areas are: the Senate and the House of Representatives, the House of Assembly in respect of the area, and the local government councils in respect of the area, which are received by the National Assembly.
It will also include: “proposal for the creation of the state is thereafter approved in a referendum by at least two-thirds majority of the people of the area where the demand for creation of the state originated.
“The result of the referendum is then approved by a simple majority of all the States of the Federation supported by a simple majority of members of the Houses of Assembly; and
“The proposal is approved by a resolution passed by two-thirds majority of members of each House of the National Assembly.’’
Espousing the viability and acceptability of the proposed Adada, Dr Edwin Ngwu of the Department of Political Science, University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) argued that Adada was the oldest sought state in the South-East and the most desirable.
“Adada is the only state left out during the last creation of states in 1996 because there was no immediate consensus on citing the state capital.
“It is also the only district headquarters that has not risen to the position of a state in Nigeria.
“It has the largest population in Enugu state and possibly more than the other areas seeking the creation of states.
“It has more than 52 per cent of the population of Enugu state leaving less than 48 per cent for the other two senatorial districts’’, he said.
Ngwu said the proposed Adada had a large area of arable land connecting up to four states – Kogi, Benue, Anambra, and Ebonyi.
He said the aforementioned reasons placed Adada at a very high advantage in acquiring agricultural and industrial goods from the contiguous states for production and development.
“It has hosted the first indigenous university in Nigeria for over 60 years; therefore, can boast of high calibre personnel in any area of production and development,’’ he said.
Sharing similar sentiments, Dr Festus Ngwoke of the Department of English and Literary Studies, UNN, said that the size of Enugu state and the cultural affinity of the local governments in the proposed Adada state gave it an edge over others.
“My initial thought is that among other factors, a strong case can be made about the landmass of Enugu state relative to the other South-East states.
“There is also the cultural homogeneity of the people of Adada compared to say, Etiti state, which would be drawn from all the five existing states,’’ he said.
In his submission, a policy analyst, Kalu Igwe, said that in terms of location, the proposed Etiti state was the most viable and strategic.
He said that Etiti would benefit from being in the middle of the South-East.
According to him, drawing from the five existing states will definitely make the proposed state viable both economically and politically.
“Such convergence from Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo states will no doubt create a critical mass of talents needed to harness resources and expedite development.
“The creation of Etiti state will also boost the security of the South-East region as it would curb inter-state criminality,’’ he said.
Igwe warned, however, that the agitation should not be allowed to snowball into an instrument of division among the people of the region.
Proffering his opinion, a social commentator, Ike Izuchukwu, said he was a strong proponent of the Orlu state project but had a change of mind immediately when the Anioma bill came on board.
He said that over the years, the Orlu agenda had featured in verbal and written interchanges for long but there was need to keep sentiments aside and back the creation of Anioma state.
Izu said that aside from expanding the South-East region geographically and politically, the proposed Anioma state had the resources and potential to function effectively as a state.
Deserving no less attention, key constituents of the proposed Anioma state have thrown their weight behind the move.
Dr Godwin Ossai, Ex-Dean, Management Social Sciences Faculty, Novena University, Ogume, Delta, who hails from the Ndokwa/Ukwuani Federal Constituency, said the creation of Anioma state had been generally accepted among the people of Delta-North Senatorial District.
According to him, wherever the issue of the creation of Anioma state is discussed, there is a general acceptance for its creation.
Ossai cautioned against distractions, saying it was better to first have the state rather than expressing fear for any marginalisation thereafter.
On his part, Dan Okenyi, former Delta State Commissioner for Lands and Survey, said that the agitation for the creation of Anioma state dated back many years ago.
He said that some of them met the issues in 1977; then, as a movement, adding that it was rather disappointing to hear certain persons kicking against its creation.
“We are pained to hear people agitating against the creation of Anioma state; the state we are asking for is for the nine local government areas currently in Delta-North.
“No other town in the South-East is to be added to the proposed Anioma state.
“We had a meeting with the Igbo senators and because of the marginalisation in the South-East, it is proper to create Anioma state to make it six states in the region.’’
According to Okenyi, the two senators from Delta-South and Delta- Central Senatorial Districts are in support of the creation of Anioma state.
He said the creation of Anioma State could be done under the doctrine of necessity, adding that the people of Anioma should rather be happy and grateful.
“This agitation is not about Nwoko; yes, it is true that God is using him to champion the project,” Okenyi said.
In his submission, Ugo Ashibelua, Special Adviser to Nwoko, said the people should look out for the merits of the project.
According to him, it is obvious that the Anioma people have close affinity with the Igbos in the South-East.
“Besides, what alternatives are there for those opposing the creation of Anioma state?’’ he asked.
As the bills progress, the clamour is revving up; triggering intense consultations and political horse trading.
Observers are of the view that political expediency should not outweigh economic viability in creating an additional state in the South-East and bringing it at par with other regions.
They say the pertinent question remains—which of the proposed entities has the administrative, political and economic ecosystem to be self-sustaining? (NANFeatures)
**If used please credit the writer and News Agency of Nigeria.
Published By
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Editor/Assistant Chief Correspondent,
FCT Correspondent,
NAN Abuja.
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