…Equity state preferable – Abia monarch
Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
An elder statesman and former Minister for Health, Professor Ihechukwu Madubuike, has said that any attempt to create additional state for South-East geopolitical zone without reference to the recommendations of the 2014 constitutional conference, is a recipe for confusion.
The octogenarian was reacting to the Bill by the Ikenga Ugochinyere representing Ideato federal constituency at the House of Representatives, proposing the creation of Orlu State with 28 Local Government Areas.
Professor Madubuike who said that creating additional state for South-East to bring the zone at par with other geo-political zones was long overdue, however, cautioned that the parity state has to be the one recommended by delegates at the 2014 constitutional conference.
The two times Minister urged those canvassing for the additional state not to instigate unnecessary crisis in the zone by jettisoning the 2014 confab which was based on consensus.
However, the Methodist Archbishop of Umuahia Diocese, Archbishop Raphael Opoko, said what mattered at the moment was for South-East to get the much talked about parity state.
The cleric argued that which part of the South-East it comes from should not be a bone of contention provided it is from South-East.
Meanwhile, Professor Madubuike who participated in both the ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo constitutional conference of 2005, and Jonathan’s 2014 confab, said that recommendations of both confabs contained what South-East needs.
“Definitely there is a crying need for an additional state for the South-East. We have already dealt with that in both 2005 Obasanjo confab and Jonathan’s confab in 2014. We agreed on a consensus state.
“So, these lawmakers have to find out what is there before they begin their own exercise. For them to do anything meaningful, they should go to confab report so that they won’t create a problem for us in the South-East. They should find out what has already been agreed.
“What they have done hasn’t made any reference to the historical and monumental decision we took at the constitutional conference based on consensus.”
He said there was an agreement that each of the existing five states in the South-East will donate some kocal government areas for the first state to be created as parity state for the zone before any other consideration would be made.
According to him, some other proposals that trended well then were Adada State for Nsukka people of Enugu State, and Aba State respectively.
“Orlu State wasn’t among the ones that we proposed. This one is a bastardisation of what we proposed. We said we should have Equity/Etiti State.
“So, what they need to do is to go back to both Obasanjo and Jonathan’s confabs and see what has been proposed, where we talked about a parity state or Equity State or Etiti State with Okigwe as a capital that will include Awgu and Oji River from Enugu State; Aninri and Ivo from Ebonyi State; Umunneochi and Isuikwuato in Abia State; Okigwe and Mbano from Imo State; plus Umunze in Anambra State.
“To go and bring Uga, bring Ununze and bring a village in Isuochi which is part of Umunneochi Local Government is a recipe for confusion.”
Professor Madubuike who said only few of them that participated in both Obasanjo confab of 2005 and 2014 Jonathan’s were still alive, advised Ndigbo against engaging in unnecessary war over new state , but rather to handle the mater.
In his reaction, former Chairman, Council of Traditional Rulers, Umuahia North Local Government Area, and the Traditional Ruler of Oriendu Autonomous Community, HRH Eze Philp Ajomuiwe, also hailed the move but said a parity state that cuts across all the existing states in the zone is preferable.
According to the royal father, any additional state for the South-East that cuts across the zone will foster peace and progress in the zone.
