The efforts of the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, to secure an additional state for the South East Geopolitical Zone paid off on Saturday, as the Joint Committee of the Senate and House of Representatives on Constitution Review approved the creation of a new state in the region.

The decision was made during a two-day retreat in Lagos, where Kalu advocated for the region’s request based on equity, justice, and fairness.

Currently, the South East region has five states, while the remaining five regions that make up the six geopolitical zones of the country have either six or seven states.

Faced with 55 proposals for state creation to consider, Kalu, who co-chaired the Joint Committee alongside the Deputy Senate President, Senator Jubrin Barau, made a passionate appeal to the members to consider the zone.

Members who took turns to speak on the subject matter aligned their thoughts with that of Kalu, saying that the South East deserved an additional state.

Thereafter, Senator Abdul Ningi, representing Bauchi Central Senatorial District from the North East, moved the motion for the creation of an additional state.

Seconded by Hon. Ibrahim Isiaka, representing Ifo/Ewekoro Federal Constituency of Ogun State, South West, the motion got the unanimous support of the members and was later adopted by the Committee.
This is the first time the journey and effort towards getting an extra state for the region have paid off.

Coming after a great presentation by Kalu, it scored an appreciable point of his legislative strides and impacts.

Similarly, the Joint Committee also set up a subcommittee to consider the creation of more states and local government areas across all the geopolitical zones of the country, as the Constitution Review Committee listed 278 proposals for consideration.

The Guardian had earlier reported that the Joint Committee of the National Assembly on Constitution Review approved the creation of an additional state in Nigeria’s South East geopolitical zone at the end of a two-day retreat in Lagos.

The retreat, chaired by the Deputy Senate President, Senator Barau Jibrin, and co-chaired by Kalu deliberated on 55 separate proposals for state creation submitted from across the country.
Kalu, who has been one of the most vocal advocates for a sixth state in the South East, said principles of equity, justice, and fairness drove the approval. “This decision is not about politics or sentiment.