Group begins agitation for creation of Aba State from the present state

Victor Duruamaku  Owerri

A  political pressure  Group known as  Aba   state Creation movement, has called for the  creation of Aba State as a new state carved out of the  present Abia state in the south  East geopolitical zone

The new state agitators,  called on President Muhammadu Buhari and the National Assembly as well as other stakeholders to gear up efforts towards the realization of the new State.

The Movement, made the call Wednesday, when they paid a courtesy visit to  the Guild of Imo Elders, GIE,  in Owerri Imo State

Speaking  at the residence  of the Deputy chairman of the  Imo  Elders  Council  Prof.  F C  Dike in Owerri during the visit,  the Secretary-General of the  Movement, Chief G.I. Akara, stated that one of the cardinal issues of concern to Ndigbo is the injustice, inequity and inequality meted out  on  the South East  geo political  zone with regard to number of states per zone

The secretary  general pointed out that the loss which the zone  has suffered as a result of the injustice can never be quantified.

According to him,  the people of the Old Aba Division have been in the forefront of the struggle to rewrite the old narrative of deprivation, injustice and inequality, suffered by the zone

He explained  that they were in Owerri to further solicit the support and cooperation  of the Imo Elders and leaders.

According to him, “all elected representatives from the proposed state at various levels of government, traditional rulers, academia, cleric and  the Governor of Abia State have continued to support the demand for a new state to be known as Aba State, by signing all the memos in that regard.”

The group further hinted that no fewer than 23 State Houses of Assembly across the country have at different occasions given support for the creation of Aba State adding that the National Confab of 2014 recommended that Aba State be created.

Commenting on the prospects of the proposed state, Chief Akara declared, “Abia State House of Assembly has given support for the creation of Aba State. ”

He further said that  the proposed  Aba State will be self-reliant, not depending on the central government for sustenance,  pointing out that   the  new state is rich with arable land, rain forest, plenty of solid minerals, and close to the Atlantic Ocean,  where a seaport can easily be built to enhance the economy of Nigeria.

“Aba host the largest private Igbo investments in the South East. It is the United State of Ndi Igbo. There is no family in the South East whose tentacles are not in Aba. Based on the 1963 Census, the proposed Aba State has a population of over 5.6million people.

“If elder statesmen like Akanu Ibiam and Dr. M. I. Okpara have been honoured by creating states dear to them while alive, it is a moral burden that late Senator Jaja Wachukwu, who established the Aviation School in Zaria, first Nigeria’s Rep at the UN, first Nigeria’s External Affairs Minister, who made arrangements for the training of first set of Nigeria’s foreign service officers, should be compensated in a similar manner, by creating Aba State to honour him.”

He therefore requested the Guild of Imo Elders to use their individual and collective economic and political capacities to facilitate the actualization the Aba State project stressing that creation of the proposed state is long overdue, having begun since 1915.

Responding, the Chief Host, Prof. F.C. Dike, SAN, the Deputy Chairman of Guild of Imo Elders, commended the group for sustaining the campaign and struggle for creation of Aba State assuring them of the support of Imo Elders in whatever way they can.

The Senior Advocate of Nigeria who stood in for the chairman of GIE, Mr Paschal Dozie, who was unavoidably absent, maintained that the creation of more states in the South East Zone cannot be over-emphasized and prayed that Aba State be given consideration it deserves.

Present at the occasion were; Chief Chris Ejike Uche, Chief Chimee Nzeribe, Prof. Protus Uzoma, Commodore Luke Ochulor(rtd), Rt. Hon. Maxwell Duru, Dr. Douglas Acholonu among several others.