"Umeh Calls for Much-Needed Justice: Advocates for New State in Southeast"

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Remarks by Senator Umeh
• Historical Context
• Significance of Decision

The Chairman of the Senate Committee on National Identity and Population, Victor Umeh, has characterized the National Assembly’s approval for the establishment of an additional state in the South-East as a significant advancement that aligns with principles of justice, equity, and fairness.

Senator Umeh expressed this sentiment on Tuesday during an interview on Arise Television, which was monitored by DAILY POST, referring to the development as a courageous move towards healing and unity.

He further noted that this decision represents a crucial step in addressing decades of political and structural marginalization in the region.

“The demand for one more state in the South-East is not a recent phenomenon. As far back as 2014, during the National Conference, all 492 delegates in attendance unanimously agreed that the South-East warranted one additional state before considerations for demands from other regions of Nigeria could be entertained.

“What the Senate and the House of Representatives accomplished at their retreat last weekend serves as further validation of the justness of this issue,” he stated.

According to him, among the 55 requests for new states received nationwide, the Joint Committee unanimously concluded that the South-East should be prioritized for one additional state, labeling the decision as a long-overdue acknowledgment of the region’s historical neglect in state creation.

Umeh emphasized that once the South-East secures its additional state, future state formations would be evaluated on an equal footing across all six zones.