The All Progressives Congress National Vice Chairman (South-East), Ijeomah Arodiogbu, on Sunday called on the National Assembly to expedite work on the bill seeking the creation of a new state in the South-East, insisting that the move is long overdue for equity and fairness.
His appeal comes four months after the bill for the creation of Anim State, sponsored by Senator Osita Izunaso of Imo West, passed second reading in the Senate.
The proposed legislation, which seeks to carve the state out of parts of Anambra and Imo, is currently before the Senate Committee on Constitutional Review.
In a statement issued in Abuja, Arodiogbu urged lawmakers to remain resolute and ensure the bill completes all constitutional stages.
He said, “The Nigerian National Assembly has taken a step of historic proportions by advancing the bill for the creation of Anim State. Every Nigerian who believes in justice, fairness, and the continued unity of this country must rise to applaud this courageous act.
“Now is the time to finish it. The tools are in your hands. The moral high ground is yours to occupy. The gratitude of a grateful zone and a relieved nation awaits you. Do not relent or look back.
“Do not compromise. Pass the bill for Anim State. The time is now. The stage is set. The verdict of history hangs in the balance. Make Nigeria proud. Create Anim State,” he urged.
The APC chief argued that the South-East had suffered a structural disadvantage for over five decades as the only geopolitical zone with five states, compared to six or seven in others.
He said the imbalance had affected the region’s representation in the National Assembly, federal appointments, and revenue allocations.
According to him, “It has created a structural disadvantage that no amount of individual brilliance or collective industry by the people of the South-East can fully overcome.”
Arodiogbu commended Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Speaker Tajudeen Abbas for confronting what he described as a longstanding injustice.
He noted that communities around the Anambra–Imo boundary—where the proposed state will be carved from—share deep cultural, linguistic, and historical bonds, adding that the creation of Anim State would not divide but strengthen them.
The APC chieftain expressed confidence that President Bola Tinubu would sign the bill once it reaches his desk, saying he had shown commitment to national balance and inclusion.
On October 26, 2025, that the Joint Committee of the Senate and House of Representatives on Constitution Review had approved the creation of an additional state in the South-East geo-political zone.
The session, chaired by the Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin, and co-chaired by the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, resolved that, in the spirit of fairness and equity, the Federal Government should create another state for the region. Kalu argued that a new state would give the people a sense of belonging.
