Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the apex sociocultural body representing the Igbo people, has strongly opposed the proposal by the House of Representatives to create 31 new states, dismissing it as lacking credibility and failing to meet viable state creation criteria.

Commending Deputy Speaker Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu for rejecting the initiative, Ohanaeze described the move as immature and a threat to the integrity of the legislative process. The group insisted that any discussion on state creation must address the historical underrepresentation of the Southern region.

In a statement, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, Deputy President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to demonstrate the political will to correct the long-standing imbalance in state distribution.

“The political and economic advantages enjoyed by the North, due in large part to its 19 states, must be counterbalanced by the creation of two additional states in the South,” Isiguzoro said.

Ohanaeze proposed that the Southeast, which currently has only five states compared to the Northwest’s seven, should receive one of the new states to ensure parity. It also suggested that the second state be allocated to either the Southwest or South-South for fair representation.

Calling for urgent action, the organization emphasized that addressing these imbalances is crucial to national unity and justice. Ohanaeze reaffirmed its commitment to equity and urged President Tinubu to take decisive steps toward a more balanced and inclusive Nigeria.