Reps pass bill seeking to create new state in South-East

A bill to create Orlu State, a new state in the Southeast, was approved by the House of Representatives on Thursday.

Together with other co-sponsoring legislators, Ikeagwuonu Ugochinyere (Ideato North South, Imo State) sponsored the measure, which was approved on its first reading.

The proposed bill argues that the establishment of Orlu State will modify the 1999 Constitution, bringing the total number of states in Nigeria to 37. Parts of the states of Imo, Abia, and Anambra will be combined to form the new state, which will have Orlu as its capital.

The Orlu State Bill

The bill seeks to amend the 1999 Constitution by adding a new paragraph to include 28 local government areas.

These areas are Orlu, Orsu, Oru West, Oru East, Ideato North, Ideato South, Njaba, Nkwerre, Nwangele, Isu, Oguta, Ohaji Egbema, Onuimo, Ihiala, Uga, Uli, Ozubulu, Akokwa, Arondizuogu, Umuchu, Umunze, Umuaku, New Ideato North, Nwabosi West, Nwabosi East, Owerre Nkworji, Alaoma, Amaifeke, and Owerrebiri Umuowa.

Ugochinyere, the primary sponsor of the bill, urged his fellow members of the National Assembly to back the legislation to ensure its successful passage during the second reading.

He suggested that the establishment of Orlu State could result in the formation of Ideato as a senatorial district.

It’s worth mentioning that unlike other geopolitical zones in Nigeria, which have a minimum of six states, the South-East only has five.