A significant development has occurred in the Nigerian House of Representatives, as a bill to create a new state called Etiti in the South-East geopolitical zone has passed its first reading. The proposed state will comprise 11 local government areas drawn from the existing five states in the region: Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo.
The bill, sponsored by Amobi Ogah (LP-Abia) and four others, seeks to alter sections 3, 8, and 39 of the 1999 Constitution to accommodate the new state. The proposed capital of Etiti State will be Lokpanta.
The local government areas to be affected by the creation of the new state are:
– Isuikwuato and Umu-Nneochi (Abia)
– Orumba North and Orumba South (Anambra)
– Ivo and Ohaozara (Ebonyi)
– Aninri, Agwu, and Oji River (Enugu)
– Okigwe and Onuimo (Imo)
If the bill is successful, it will lead to the alteration of the country’s constitution and the creation of a 37th state in Nigeria. This development has significant implications for the political and administrative landscape of the South-East region.
The bill’s progress will be closely watched, as it navigates the legislative process and potentially paves the way for the creation of a new state in Nigeria.