Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, has publicly reaffirmed his backing for the creation of a new state in the South-East region of Nigeria. He stated that the demand for an additional state is justified and long overdue. Kalu emphasized that the South-East, comprising five states, remains one of the most densely populated geopolitical zones without a corresponding number of administrative units. He argued that creating a new state would enhance governance, ease administrative burdens, and promote equitable development. The deputy speaker made the remarks during a political meeting in Abia State on Thursday. He called on the federal government to consider the request as part of broader national restructuring discussions. Kalu maintained that the creation of new states should be based on demographic, economic, and administrative realities rather than political sentiment.
Benjamin Kalu's renewed push for a new South-East state underscores how regional representation remains a persistent fault line in Nigeria's federal structure. With the zone's population growing and infrastructure straining, the call for a sixth state is not just symbolic but a practical response to governance inefficiencies. Whether this gains traction depends less on legislative goodwill and more on the political will in Abuja to revisit Nigeria's current administrative map. For now, it remains one of many unmet demands echoing across the country's geopolitical divide.
