A bill has been introduced to amend the 1999 Constitution in order to establish Etiti state (equity) in the South East. This bill passed through its first reading in the House of Representatives on Tuesday.
Sponsored by Hon. Amobi Godwin Ogah representing Isikwuato/Umunneochi federal Constituency and four others representing the affected communities.
Honorable Princess Miriam Odinaka Onuoha represents Okigwe and Onuimo federal constituency, Honorable Kama Nkemkama represents Ivo/Ohazara federal constituency, Honorable Princess Chinwe Nnabuife represents Orumba South and North Federal Constituency, and Honorable Anayo Onwuegbu represents Oji River/Agwai/Aniri federal constituency.
The proposed state will be formed from the current territories of Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo states. Upon its establishment, the new state will comprise 11 local government areas derived from the aforementioned five states with its administrative center located at Lokpanta.
The proposed bill aims to amend three sections of the 1999 constitution. Specifically, it seeks to replace the term "36" with "37" in order to accommodate the new state and to insert the term "Etiti" immediately following Enugu in the list of states outlined in the Constitution.
The proposal aims to reconfigure the allocation of local government areas by state and relocate 11 local government areas from their current states to a new state.
The local government areas to be impacted are Isuikwuato and Umu-Nneochi (Abia), Orumba North and Orumba South (Anambra), Ivo and Ohaozara (Ebonyi), Aninri, Agwu, and Oji River (Enugu), as well as Okigwe and Onuimo (Imo). (Source: Vanguard Newspaper).