Bills To Create Adada, Etiti States In South-East Pass First Reading

The Senate and House Representatives, during plenary on Tuesday, passed bills brought by members seeking the creation of Adada and Etiti states in the South-East.

Senator Okey Ezea, Enugu North, Labour Party, who sponsored the bill for creation of Adada State, said the move was a bold and right one.

He said the agitation for the creation of Adada State which began in 1983 has started seeing light of the day.

In the House of Representatives, Etiti State’s bill sponsored by Amobi Ogah – Labour Party, Isuikwato/ Umuneochi consistency, Miriam Onuoha – All Progressives Congress, Isiala Mbano/Okigwe/Onuimo constituency, Kama Nkekama – Ivo/Onicha constituency, Labour Party, Nnabuife Clara Chinwe – Orumba North/South constituency, Young Progressives Party and Anayo Onwuegbu – Aninri/Awgu/Oji River constituency, PDP, will have its capital in Lokpanta, now Abia State.

Senator Ezea, in reaction on his X account, said the bill sought alteration of and an amendment to Section 3(1) and the First Schedule, Part 1 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 “to provide for the creation of Adada State to bring the number of South-East states to six (6) to be at par with the other geopolitical zones of the country.

“The agitation for the creation of Adada state dates to 1983 when the senator representing Nsukka senatorial zone in the Second Republic, Engr. Isaiah Ani, presented a bill. Expectations were high after the 2014 Constitutional Conference had recommended that an additional state be created in the South-East. Although there have been proposals for the creation of other states out of the geopolitical zone over the years, none has been as acceptable and as qualified as Adada.”

For Etiti State bill passed by the House of Reps, sponsored by Ogah -Abia State, Onuoha -Imo State, Nkekama – Ebonyi State, Chinwe – Anambra State and Onwuegbu – Enugu State, seeks to complete the number of states in the South East to 6.

The bill also seeks amendment of Section 3(1) and the First Schedule, Part 1 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria

If passed into law, Etit State will have 11 local government areas to be drawn from Enugu, Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi and Imo State.