A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Dr Olisa Agbakoba, has faulted the the agitation for the creation of further states within the South-East, insisting it could not clear up the issue of the area.
Quite than create extra states, Agbakoba, a former President of the Nigerian Bar Affiliation, mentioned the Nationwide Meeting ought to amend the structure or put collectively a very new one that will return Nigeria to regional governments.
The lawyer expressed the view in an interview with the Information Company of Nigeria on Sunday in Lagos.
NAN studies that the Home of Representatives lately handed for second studying a invoice in search of the creation of Etiti State out of Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo states from the South-East geopolitical zone.
The invoice was collectively sponsored by Godwin Ogah, Miriam Onuoha, Kama Nkemkama, Princess Nnabuife and Anayo Onwuegbu.
Main the controversy on the final ideas of the invoice, Ogah, representing Abia State, mentioned the institution of Etiti State was not only a matter of administrative comfort, however a step in the direction of making certain balanced regional growth and efficient governance.
The lawmaker mentioned the invoice was a response to the aspirations of the folks of an important area to the nation and aligned with the ideas of fairness and inclusivity enshrined within the nation’s democratic thought.
Equally, some lawmakers and stakeholders have additionally known as for the creation of Anioma State from states within the South-South and South-East areas.
A kind of main the decision, Senator Ned Nwoko( PDP-Delta North), mentioned the creation of Anioma State would right what he described because the marginalisation of the South-East geo-political zone.
Nevertheless, talking with NAN on Sunday, Agbakoba mentioned although a median individual from the South-East would help a further state within the area, anybody who may see the large image may inform that the creation of further states wouldn’t assure growth.
He mentioned, “This agitation will come up as a result of it’s on the premise of the variety of states that federal allocation flows.
“So the truth that the South-East has 5 states means to them that they’re dropping income and that may be a one viewpoint and in addition an emotional level of their agitation.
“Nevertheless, a realistic developmental viewpoint, which I’m going for, is that even when you create a sixth state within the South-East to present them a way of belonging, will this new state along with the 36 states take us in the direction of the trail of growth?
“Will it reverse the starvation, insecurity, poverty and unemployment within the land? Completely not.
“We have to do away from state creation to regional system of presidency.”
Agbakoba defined that he was not in help of further states as a result of many of the 36 states are economically unviable, bancrupt and never able to bringing about infrastructural growth and even paying the proposed minimal wage.
“State creation at this current harsh financial will, little question, result in a rise within the variety of Nationwide Meeting members, ministers, native governments, and others, which might additional improve the price of governance within the nation.
“That is coming at a time when most Nigerians are ravenous because of rise within the meals costs. Insurgents, bandits and terrorists are abducting folks for ransom in different states of the nation.
“Due to this fact, the Nationwide Meeting ought to, as a substitute return the nation to the regionalism by collapsing the 36 states into six to eight areas or geopolitical zones, every of which could have a pacesetter.
“Which means the current Nigeria 1999 Structure could be amended or a brand new one written to accommodate this proposal.
“It’s because making a brand new structure for Nigeria has grow to be an overriding crucial based mostly on the truth that new political realities and conundrums have cropped up within the nation,” Agbakoba mentioned.
Agbakoba, a human rights activist, mentioned regional governments have been as soon as efficiently run with Chief Obafemi Awolowo accountable for the South-West, Chief Michael Okpara accountable for the South-East and Ahmadu Bello within the North.
Agbakoba mentioned since Nigeria left the modernity of regionalism, the states had been unviable, aside from Lagos and Rivers.