Stakeholders from the South East have responded to a National Assembly committee’s recommendation to create one new state per geopolitical zone, arguing it fails to address the region’s structural deficit and widens the inequality gap.
Key Points:
A NASS joint committee has recommended creating six new states, one per zone.
This would raise the national total from 36 to 42 states.
The South East, currently with five states, would get a sixth.
Stakeholders argue this still leaves them behind regions that will have seven or eight.
Elder statesman Dr. Chike Obidigbo warned against divisive tactics in the process.
Analyst Dr. Chuka Nnabuife called for two states in the South East to achieve balance.
The debate highlights deep-seated issues of structural equity and political representation.
As the nation contemplates expansion, the quest for a truly balanced federation confronts the enduring legacy of its original design.
Sources: Daily Post