According to the report from the Vanguard, Professor Greg Ibe, the Abia State All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) governorship candidate in 2023, has expressed his strong support for the proposed creation of Etiti State. Professor Ibe asserts that establishing a new state within the South East region is a long-overdue measure to ensure parity with other zones in Nigeria....READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE ▶▶
In his advocacy, Professor Ibe emphasized, Etiti State is the most reasonable of the various proposals being considered. He explained that each of the existing five states in the South East would contribute some council areas to form the new state, ensuring an equitable distribution of resources and governance.
Reflecting on the past, Professor Ibe recalled the consensus reached during the 2014 National Constitutional Conference, which advocated for the creation of an additional state in the South East to bring the zone at par with others. He added, “Ever since then, I have personally supported efforts towards its actualisation.”
In a statement, Professor Ibe lauded lawmakers for their bold initiative, noting that it would address decades of marginalization faced by the region.
The statement read in part: “The icing on the cake is the recent motion sponsored by some members of the caucus for the creation of Etiti State. Being a project that the South East Delegation of the 2014 National Conference under the leadership of Gen. Ike Nwachukwu (retd.) championed, in my capacity as consultant to the delegation,
I have since 2014, passionately fought for the realization of Etiti State.”
He expressed satisfaction that the vision birthed in 2014 is now receiving legislative attention. “I am glad that the vision we birthed is now being given legislative attention through the gallant efforts of some members of the caucus,” he said.
Professor Ibe called upon all stakeholders within the region to support this initiative by collaborating with their representatives to achieve the creation of the new state. “Going forward, I want to appeal to all stakeholders within our region to support this move by joining forces with our Representatives in a bid to realize an additional equalising state within the zone, that will be created by equitably annexing Local Government
Councils from each of the present five states that constitute the South East and that is a central state called Etiti,” he stated.
In conclusion, Professor Ibe commended the South East caucus of the House of Representatives for their unprecedented efforts in advancing the cause of the zone. He described them as true ambassadors and praised them for sponsoring “uniquely special bills that are critical to the aspirations of our people, as a means of addressing the negative consequences of many years of political exclusion and unjust marginalization….READ FULL ARTICLE
