7th June, 2024
The outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra, on Thursday, has said the south-east does not need an additional state but a referendum to determine whether it should remain a part of Nigeria.
IPOB was through its spokesman, Emma Powerful rejecting a bill seeking to create an additional state for the South-East.
The bill was sponsored by the member representing Ideato North/Ideato South Federal Constituency, Imo State, Ikenga Ugochinyere
The bill had passed the first reading at the House of Representatives on Thursday. The bill specifically seeks the creation of Orlu State will be carved out from Imo, Abia, and Anambra states.
But Powerful said: “We don’t want more states in Igboland; creating more states in Igboland means creating more confusion and hatred among the Ndigbo. The already existing states have not been well managed by Nigeria and now they want to create more confusion.
“The cost of governance is increasing on a daily basis in Nigeria; certainly, the new state will not be well managed like others.
“Most of the existing states in the country are not viable and they want to add more confusion and problems.
“The creation of more states is not our problem. All we want is a total referendum to determine whether the Ndigbo would like to remain in Nigeria or not. The Ndigbo want total freedom and that is what we insist on.”