State creation misplaced priority – Olisa Agbakoba

Human rights activist, Olisa Agbakoba, SAN, has berated the agitation by some members of the House of Representatives for state creation in the South-East.

He made this statement in an interview with newsmen on Sunday in Lagos.

Agbakoba, who described the proposal as a misplaced priority, canvassed regionalism as a way out of the country’s myriad of problems.

According to the former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), most of the present 36 states in Nigeria are unviable.

Newspot recalls that the House of Representatives recently passed for second reading a bill seeking the creation of Etiti State out of Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo states from the South-East geopolitical zone.

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The bill was sponsored by Reps Godwin Ogah, Miriam Onuoha, Kama Nkemkama, Princess Nnabuife and Anayo Onwuegbu.

Leading the debate on the general principles of the bill, Ogah (LP, Abia) said the establishment of Etiti State was not just a matter of administrative convenience but a step towards ensuring balanced regional development and effective governance.

Also, some lawmakers and stakeholders have called for the creation of Anioma State from states in the South-South and South-East regions.

One of those leading the call, Senator Ned Nwoko (PDP-Delta North), said the creation of Anioma State would correct what he described as the marginalization of the South-East geopolitical zone.

According to him, if Anioma State is created, it will increase the population of the South-East, the land mass, and the resource base of the region.

Reacting, Agbakoba said Nigeria currently has no need for more states.

He said lawmakers and other political stakeholders should, instead, be concerned about restructuring Nigeria into a regional government to reflect the real diversity of the country.

Agbakoba said he was not in support of additional states because most of the 36 were economically unviable, insolvent and not capable of bringing about infrastructural development or even paying the proposed minimum wage.