S’East loses N17.4tn to absence of sixth state – Ex-Minister
CHIGOZIE AMADI
A former Minister of Aviation, Chief Osita Chidoka, has said the South-East has lost an estimated N17.4 trillion in the past 29 years due to the absence of a sixth state, which would have contributed significantly to federal allocations and local government revenue accruing to the region.
Chidoka said this staggering figure, adjusted for inflation and devaluation, highlights the region’s ongoing economic and political marginalisation, with profound implications for representation, federal receipts, and governance.
This is just as the apex Igbo socio-political group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has also backed the call for action on the creation of the sixth state in the South-East for balanced and equitable representation as well as reversing decades of underrepresentation and underdevelopment.
The former minister, who is also the Chancellor of the Athena Centre for Policy and Leadership, stated this during his address at the ‘Otu Oka-Iwu’ (Association of Igbo Lawyers), over the weekend, according to a press statement issued on Monday by his Special Assistant, Media, Ikechukwu Okafor.
The former minister averred that the South-East has suffered significant financial losses, due to the lack of a sixth state, which would have brought in additional federal allocations and expanded local government revenue.
He said, “The absence of a sixth state in the South-East is not just a political oversight but a direct financial loss for our region. Over the past 29 years, the South-East has lost over N17 trillion, which could have fuelled economic development, improved infrastructure and enhanced our political representation in the National Assembly.
“This loss is unsustainable, and it is time for us to come together and take the necessary steps to stop these ongoing losses.”
Chidoka, a former Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Commission, called on South-East leaders to unite and follow the constitutional process for state creation, reminding the region that the process, as stipulated in Section 8(1) of the 1999 Constitution, involves the following steps:
“A formal request for the creation of a new state supported by at least a two-thirds majority of the Senate, House of Representatives, state Houses of Assembly, and local government councils in the affected area.
“Approval through a referendum, where at least two-thirds of the people in the affected area must support the creation of the new state.
“Approval by a simple majority of all states and their respective Houses of Assembly.
“Final approval by a two-thirds majority of both chambers of the National Assembly.”
He also urged South-East leaders to play national politics, putting aside internal divisions, and work together to secure the region’s future.
“Now is the time for the South-East to formally request the creation of the sixth state, following the prescribed constitutional process. This is the only way to stop the representation and federal allocation losses.
“We must stop crying about the absence of the sixth state and instead focus on what is required to make it a reality. The South-East must place the burden on the Nigerian state to officially recognise our need for equitable representation, resources, and political power.”
The event, which also featured the presence of Senator Ned Nwoko, who made a passionate case for creating Anioma State as the sixth Igbo state, said it would expand Igboland and contribute an additional 9,000 square kilometres to the South-East.
Nwoko emphasised the need for the South-East to strengthen its territorial and political influence by creating a new state fostering greater unity and development.
A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chief Emeka Obegolu, who also spoke at the event, highlighted the political will required to secure the creation of the sixth state for the South-East.
Obegolu called for concerted efforts and commitment from the region’s political leadership to ensure that the demand for the new state is taken seriously and given the momentum needed for successful implementation.
Also speaking to South-East PUNCH on the sidelines of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Forum in Awka, over the weekend, the coordinator of the Ohanaeze Youth Wing, Mazi Ejiofor Tobe, backed the call for action on creating the sixth state, saying it is a change in narrative and request for action on the South-East leadership.
Tobe urged leaders in the region to forge a united front and initiate the necessary steps to ensure the creation of the sixth state, to reverse decades of underrepresentation and underdevelopment.
He said, “Now is the time for the leaders of the region to forge a united front to formally request for the creation of the additional state, using the available constitutional process. This is the way to bring about a balanced and equitable representation as well as correcting the impression of the age-long marginalisation of the region.”
