A fresh twist has been introduced to the agitation for an additional state in the South East, as the people of Isuochi, in Umunneochi Local Council of Abia State, have rejected the proposed creation of an Orlu State, insisting on the creation of Etiti State.

This development was contained in a statement signed by the President General of Isuochi Development Union, Ochiabuto Orji, and the Secretary, Victor Nnamzuoke.

Recall that a bill for the creation of Orlu State is currently being considered by the House of Representatives, which was sponsored by Ugochinyere Ikeagwuonu; and it has already passed the first reading.

But the Isuochi Community has insisted on the creation of Etiti State, which, according to the statement, should be carved out from the five states of the South East, as agreed by delegates to the 2005 and 2014 national confabs.

According to Orji, while the people of Isuochi were in support of the creation of an additional state in the region, which would bring it at par with other zones, they have expressed their aversion to the proposed Orlu State. They maintained that it is against the aspirations of the people of the South East, who had agreed at the previous national confabs organised by Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan that any additional state for the region would be carved out from the five states of the South East.

Orji said: “Thankfully, the issue of the creation of an additional state for the South East had been settled by delegates from the region at the Presidents Obasanjo and Jonathan national confabs. The delegates from the South East had settled for the creation of an Etiti State to be carved out as follows: Awgu and Oji Rivers in Enugu State, Aninri and Ivo in Ebonyi State, Isuikwuato and Umunneochi in Abia State, Okigwe and Mbano in Imo State, Orumba North and Orumba South in Anambra State.”

The President General said that the people of Isuochi were against the division of Isuochi, as the bill included Umuaku, a town in Isuochi, for inclusion in the proposed Orlu State.

He said: “Isuochi will not cede any portion of its territory to another state, as the bill is set to balkanise the community by taking away Umuaku, one of the nine towns that make up Isuochi, to the proposed Orlu State, leaving the other eight towns of Isuochi in Abia State; nor do we want to be a part of the proposed Orlu State.” (The Guardian)

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