Why We Want Two New Southern States – Ohanaeze Begs Tinubu

The Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to demonstrate the political will and courage needed to address the historical imbalance in state creation across Nigeria.

The factional Deputy President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, made this demand in a statement issued on Sunday in Abakaliki, titled “A Call for Equity: Proposed 31 States Must Acknowledge Southern Needs.”

He emphasized the need to increase the number of states in the South to 19, bringing them to parity with the North, which currently has 19 states.

Ohanaeze urged the President and the House of Representatives to focus on creating two states—one for the Southeast and another for the South-South—to end what they described as systematic intimidation against the aspirations of the Southern populace.

In the statement, Ohanaeze Ndigbo rejected the recent House of Representatives proposal to create 31 new states, describing it as an exercise in futility and lacking credibility.

“This proposal is an exercise in futility, characterized by a blatant lack of credibility and a fundamental misunderstanding of the criteria essential for the establishment of viable political entities,” the statement read.

The group commended the Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu, for dismissing the proposal, arguing that such an excessive number of states would undermine the credibility of the legislative process.

Ohanaeze reaffirmed that any conversation about state creation should prioritize the Southern region, which has historically been underrepresented.

“The Northern region, currently endowed with 19 states—a configuration established by past military regimes—benefits from an unfair numerical advantage that has led to systemic inequities,” the statement continued.

The group argued that this disparity has been used as a tool for political and economic domination, marginalizing the South in governance and resource allocation.

Ohanaeze called on President Tinubu to take bold steps in correcting this imbalance by creating two additional Southern states.

The group proposed that the first new state should be in the Southeast, which currently has only five states, compared to seven states in the Northwest, adding that the second new state should be allocated to either the Southwest or the South-South, ensuring fairer political representation.

“This strategic adjustment is not merely a numeric correction; it represents a critical step toward addressing the long-standing grievances of the Southern populace and fostering a more equitable distribution of power across the federation,” Ohanaeze stated.

The organization urged President Tinubu to act decisively in correcting this imbalance, arguing that the creation of two additional Southern states is not just a policy issue but a “clarion call for justice, equality, and national unity.”

“By fostering this equity, President Tinubu will not only be advancing the cause of justice for the Southern regions but also dismantling the historical political and economic dominance that has marginalized our people for far too long,” the statement concluded.