Senator Ike Ekweremadu of Enugu West believes the south-east needs an extra state to “compete with the rest of the country in terms of opportunities and national assembly.”
On Saturday, the senator spoke at a town hall meeting in Enugu state.
The “lopsided” ratio, according to the former Senate deputy president, is “shortchanging” the geopolitical zone.
He said the numerical disadvantage affects the region in voting and resource distribution at the national assembly, adding that creating a new south-east state is the “fair thing to do”.
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“The number [in the national assembly] is lopsided, because of the way the states were created,” he said.
“Right now, the south-east has just five states while others have six and seven. With the senate, we have just fifteen [lawmakers], while some have 18 and some 21.
“So when it comes to voting and resource distribution, we are shortchanged. If you go to the house of representatives, [it’s a] similar thing.
“I believe that the fair thing to do is for the country to agree for us to have an extra state for the south-east. So that will enable us to match with the rest of the country in terms of opportunities and national assembly.”
