JUST IN: Reps moves to create another southeast state, passes bill

• The Nigerian government has moved to create another new state in the southeastern region of the country
• The bill, which suggests creating an additional state from the five states in the Southeast, passed a second reading on Thursday
• "Etiti state", the new state, if created, would cover 11 current local government areas in the southeast region

Legit.ng journalist Esther Odili has over two years of experience covering political parties and movements

The bill to create another state in the Southeast region passed a second reading in the House of Representatives on Thursday, July 11.

Bill for creation of Etiti State passed for second reading. Photo credit: House of Representatives, Federal Republic of Nigeria
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"Etiti state", to be craved out from five southeast states

The bill, seeks to create "Etiti state" from the five South-Eastern states and was sponsored by Amobi Ogah (LP, Abia), Miriam Onuoha (APC, Imo), Kama Nkemkama (LP, Ebonyi), Chinwe Nnabuife (YPP, Anambra), and Anayo Onwuegbu (LP, Enugu).

As reported by Channels TV, Ogah said the bill is meant to address the decades-long issue of regional parity and administrative efficiency in the South-East zone.

As reported by The Cable, the lawmakers are proposing to alter the 1999 Constitution to create a new state from Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo.

The new state will be known as Etiti, with Lokpanta as its capital.

Etiti state: The bill scales second reading

But during plenary on Thursday, the bill was passed for the next stage without debate by the lawmakers.

When the Speaker of the House Abbas Tajudeen put the bill to a voice vote, the lawmakers voted in support.

‘Tiga state’: Senate receives bill for creation of new state from Kano

Similarly, Legit.ng reported that a bill seeking the creation of a new state carved out from Kano state was passed at the floor of the Senate on Wednesday, July 10.

Senator Kawu Suleiman Abdurrahman introduced the "Tiga State Bill, 2024 (SB.523)" in the Nigerian Senate on Wednesday, July 10.

The bill had its first reading on Wednesday at the red chamber and Tiga State, according to the senator, would be carved out from Kano which currently boasts of 44 local governments in Nigeria.

Source: Legit.ng