House of Reps proposes creation of additional state in Southeast

The House of Representatives has proposed a bill aiming to establish a new state named Etiti State in the South East region.

Titled "Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2024 (HB. 1525)," the bill was introduced by Rep Amobi Godwin Ogah and four co-sponsors and passed its first reading during Tuesday's plenary session.

The co-sponsors are Rep Princess Miriam Odinaka Onuoha (Okigwe/Onuimo), Rep Kama Nkemkama, Rep Princess Chinwe Nnabuife, and Rep Anayo Onwuegbu.

This bill seeks to amend three sections of the 1999 Constitution to change the number of states from 36 to 37, incorporate the new state, and add Etiti after Enugu to the constitution's list of states.

The bill proposes establishing Etiti State from sections of Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo states. It would comprise 11 local government areas and have Lokpanta as the state capital.

According to Daily Trust, it also aims to amend the listing of local governments by state and reassign the 11 local government areas to the newly created state.

The affected local government areas are Isuikwuato and Umu-Nneochi (Abia), Orumba North and Orumba South (Anambra), Ivo and Ohaozara (Ebonyi), Aninri, Agwu, and Oji River (Enugu), and Okigwe and Onuimo (Imo).