APGA Chieftain Wants More States In South East

Chief Victor Umeh, National Chairman, All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), has urged the Federal Government and National Assembly to correct the present geographical imbalance in creation of states.

Umeh stated this on Saturday at Ozubulu in Ekwusigo Local Government Area of Anambra during a condolence visit to the family of the late Chief Jerome Udoji.

“It is a twin issue; that of creation of a state or more states and local government areas inclusive within the South-East geographical zone,” Umeh said.

The Tide’s reports that the agitation for an additional state in the South-East geographical zone is to equate it with other zones in the country.

He said: “It remains our wish as Igbo because the imbalance is affecting us in so many ways both in revenue sharing and employment opportunities given to states.

“Especially, recruitment of people into the armed forces, federal civil service; these things are done on the basis of states.

“So long as the imbalance in states and council areas exists; the Igbo will continue to suffer the disadvantages of being reduced to only five states and 95 local government areas.”

Umeh, who is also an Ohaneze-Ndi-Igbo chieftain, lamented that the recent constitutional review did not include state and local government creation in the South-East.

“Our people will keep the struggle on by asking for an additional state to balance this imbalance and also ask for more local government areas.

“These twin issues must be tackled simultaneously; since if you create an additional state without more local government areas, it does not solve our problem.

“The South-South geographical zone has 123 local government areas; South-West 137 local government areas and if you go to the northern part of the country, the gap is wider.