The House of Representatives on Tuesday passed a bill seeking to alter the 1999 constitution to create Etiti State in the South East.
The proposed state is to be created out of the present Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo states.
When created, the new state will have 11 local government areas drawn from the five states, with headquarters at Lokpanta.
The bill, which passed through its first reading, was sponsored by Hon. Amobi Godwin Ogah, representing Isikwuato/Umunneochi Federal Constituency, and four others at the plenary session presided over by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu.
Other co-sponsors include Hon. Princess Miriam Odinaka Onuoha, representing Okigwe and Onuimo Federal Constituencies; Hon. Kama Nkemkama, representing Ivo/Ohaozara Federal Constituencies; Hon. Princess Chinwe Nnabuife, representing Orumba South and North Federal Constituencies; and Hon. Anayo Onwuegbu, representing Oji River, Agwai, and Aniri Federal Constituencies.
The bill seeks to alter three sections of the 1999 Constitution by deleting “36” and replacing it with “37” to accommodate the new state.
The proposed legislation will also insert the word “Etiti” immediately after “Enugu” in the list of states in Nigeria.
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It also seeks to alter the listing of local governments according to states and transfer the 11 local government areas from their current states to the new state.
The local governments to be affected are Isuikwuato and Umu-Nneochi (Abia), Orumba North and Orumba South (Anambra), Ivo and Ohozara (Ebonyi), Aninri, Agwu, and Oji River (Enugu), as well as Okigwe and Onuimo (Imo).
Recall that a similar bill to create Orlu State in the Southeast region, sponsored by Rep Ikegwuonu Ugochinyere, had scaled first reading in the lower chamber.
Also, a bill to create an additional three states in the South West region — OkeOgun, Ijebu and IfeIjesa — is also being considered by the lower chamber.
Sponsored by the member representing Obokun/Oriade Federal Constituency, Osun State, Oluwole Oke, the bill proposes to amend the First Schedule, Part I of the Constitution to include that OkeOgun State, with Iseyin as its proposed capital city, will comprise 12 councils.
