Senator Victor Umeh, representing Anambra Central under the Labour Party, has said that although the National Assembly’s approval of an additional state for the Southeast is a significant breakthrough, the process is still far from concluded.
Speaking in an interview shared by Arise News, Umeh described the decision by the Joint Committee of the National Assembly on the Review of the 1999 Constitution as a long-overdue step toward equity and national balance.
He noted that the Southeast has, for decades, remained the only geopolitical zone in Nigeria with just five states, a situation that has placed the region at a disadvantage in representation, political influence, and resource allocation.
However, Umeh explained that more consultations are needed within the region to determine where the proposed new state will be created.
“We still have to go back to the Southeast to decide where the new state will come from,” he said.
“This next stage will involve dialogue and consensus among our people.”
The senator emphasized that the final decision must be guided by fairness, inclusion, and unity, warning that the process should not breed new divisions within the region.
He described the committee’s approval as a critical milestone in Nigeria’s constitutional development, but noted that its successful implementation would depend on broad-based consultation and agreement among all stakeholders in the Southeast.
