Governors Hope Uzodimma of Imo State and Alex Otti of Abia State have expressed sharply differing views on the creation of new states in the South-East, as debates intensify over the ongoing review of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution.
Speaking during the public hearing on constitutional reform held in Owerri on Saturday, Uzodimma called for the creation of at least two additional states in the region to address what he described as structural imbalance and political marginalisation of the Igbo people.
“Every other zone has six or more states,” Uzodimma said. “This imbalance has led to under-representation in critical national institutions, from the National Assembly to the Federal Executive Council. It has shrunk our voice and abridged our inclusivity.”
He specifically advocated for the creation of Anim State, which, according to him, would possess oil-producing capacity and increase the number of local government areas in the region.
Uzodimma also proposed legal recognition of indigeneity by long-term residency, suggesting that individuals born in a state or those who have resided there for over 10 years should be considered indigenes.
“How else did Mallam Umaru Altine become the Mayor of Enugu in 1952, if not because he was accepted as an indigene?” he asked.
Furthermore, the Imo governor pushed for a rotational presidency among Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, rather than the current North–South framework.
“This is not about tokenism but national stability,” Uzodimma argued. “If Nigerians know the presidency will rotate across zones, it will remove the fear of domination and deepen national inclusion.”
In contrast, Abia State Governor Alex Otti, represented by his deputy, Ikechukwu Emetu, expressed reservations about the financial and administrative implications of creating new states.
“While I acknowledge the concerns of marginalised groups, I worry about the additional burden on Nigeria’s limited resources,” Otti said. “Unless we identify independent sources of revenue, I do not share the optimism of those proposing new states.”
He warned that state creation could bloat the country’s already oversized bureaucracy and called instead for a more people-centred governance approach.
Otti also strongly supported the creation of state police, emphasising the need for clearly defined standards on accountability, recruitment, leadership, and inter-agency relations.
“The federal policing structure has proved inadequate. Our people continue to suffer avoidable vulnerabilities,” he said
Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives and Chair of the Constitution Review Committee, Benjamin Kalu, described the hearing as part of a broader effort to craft a truly inclusive constitutional order.
“The 2025 constitutional review process is the most comprehensive in our nation’s history,” Kalu noted. “Our mandate is to ensure that every Nigerian is fairly represented and protected under the law.”
The review process has received over 30 proposals for state creation from across the country, with debates expected to intensify as public hearings continue in other zones.
