Call Grows For National Assembly To Approve Aba State

The Aba State Movement has renewed its appeal for the National Assembly to confirm Aba as the sixth state in the South East.

The group’s spokesman, Chief Theo Nkire, made the call in Aba while outlining why the proposed state should be created from the current Abia State.

Nkire said Aba was twice selected by committees of Ohaneze Ndigbo in 2015 and 2018 as the preferred candidate for the long-awaited sixth state in the region. He recalled that the demand dates back to 1982 and that the National Assembly had already recommended a referendum in June 1983 before the military takeover halted the process.

He noted that other regions have since benefited from the 1983 recommendations, with states such as Adamawa, Jigawa, Katsina, Kogi, Taraba and Enugu created, leaving Aba as the only proposal still pending.

According to Nkire, the movement also secured signatures from lawmakers in 21 states between 2009 and 2010, meeting constitutional requirements. He argued that the proposed Aba State stands out for its cultural homogeneity, clear boundaries, economic strength and available manpower.

Nkire said the nine local governments that would make up the new state already generate a major share of Abia’s internally generated revenue, based on a 1998 federal survey.

He urged the National Assembly to approve Aba State, saying it is the most viable and clearly defined option for the South East.