Senator Utazi Slams Nigeria’s Injustice: ‘Five States In South-East Is Unfair

Former Minority Whip of the 9th Senate, Senator Chukwuma Utazi, has criticized the disparity in state distribution, describing it as an injustice that the South-East remains the only region with just five states among Nigeria’s six geo-political zones.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Speaking in an interview with Arise News on Tuesday, the former senator representing Enugu North argued that for the sake of fairness and equity, each region should have an equal number of states. He emphasized that the marginalization of the South-East in state creation must be addressed.

Utazi advocated for the consideration of proposals calling for the creation of 31 additional states nationwide, stressing that such moves would correct the historical imbalance faced by the South-East.

“We’ve discussed restructuring extensively in the past. The country needs to create more states and reorganize the zones to ensure fairness. Relying on monthly allocations from Abuja encourages dependency and laziness,” Utazi stated.

He further lamented the region’s exclusion: “When justice is denied to people like those in the South-East, you tie their hands behind their backs and expect them to continue like nothing is wrong. Having only five states, despite our population and contributions, is simply unfair. This country must address this imbalance. If creating states for the South-East means others get one or two additional states as well, so be it. But the South-East must feel like an integral part of Nigeria.”

Tinubu’s Role in Correcting the Injustice

Utazi expressed optimism that President Bola Tinubu could champion this cause, warning that continued resistance to state creation in the South-East would deepen the region’s sense of exclusion.

Tracing Nigeria’s historical evolution of state creation—from the original three regions to the current 36 states—Utazi highlighted that such changes were made to ensure inclusivity across all regions.

“We moved from three regions to four, then to 12 states, 19, 27, and now 36. What’s stopping us from ensuring equity now?” he questioned.

Utazi called for parity among all geopolitical zones: “Seven states in the North-West, North-East, North-Central, South-West, South-East, and South-South. That’s the balance Nigeria needs.”

He also pointed out the disparities in local government areas, noting, “Look at Kano and Katsina alone—their combined local governments exceed those of the entire South-East. If anyone talks about fairness, they need to consider these figures.”