Five States In South East Is Unfair! Senator Utazi  Speaks Out On States Imbalance 

Five States In South East Is Unfair! Senator Utazi  Speaks Out On States Imbalance 

Senator Chukwuma Utazi, the former Minority Whip of the 9th Senate, has criticized the disparity in the number of states across Nigeria’s geo-political zones, calling it an injustice that the South East region has only five states. Speaking in an interview with Arise News, the former Enugu North Senator emphasized that all regions should have an equal number of states to ensure fairness and equity.……..READ MORE 

According to Naija News, Senator Utazi highlighted the need to revisit the proposal for creating 31 new states across the country, arguing that such an initiative could address the marginalization of the South East.

“We’ve had this conversation extensively in the past. The country needs restructuring—create the states, balance the zones. This monthly ritual of going to Abuja with a begging bowl isn’t sustainable; it fosters laziness. Justice must be done for the South East. Only five states with our population? That’s unfair. If balancing this means other zones get an additional state, so be it. But let the South East feel truly part of Nigeria,” Utazi stated.

Utazi urged President Bola Tinubu to emulate leaders like Tafawa Balewa and Nnamdi Azikiwe, who facilitated the creation of the Midwestern region during their administrations.

“The leadership of this country, under Tinubu, can make this happen. During the civilian administrations of Balewa and Zik, they created the Midwest region through constitutional means—no bloodshed, just leadership and understanding. Why should the North oppose state creation in the South East now? This is about justice, not numbers,” Utazi argued.

He warned that continued opposition to state creation in the South East would only deepen the region’s sense of marginalization, pointing out the historical evolution of Nigeria’s state structure—from regions to the current 36 states—as a precedent for inclusivity.

“The North West, North East, North Central, South West, South East, and South-South should each have seven states. That’s parity. Right now, Kano and Katsina alone have more local governments than the entire South East. In the National Assembly, their representation outweighs ours significantly. This isn’t fair or equitable. It denies the South East a true sense of belonging in Nigeria,” he said.

Senator Utazi’s remarks reignite the long-standing debate over state creation and the quest for equitable representation in Nigeria’s federal structure.