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By Chinelo Obogo
The governorship candidate of the United Progressives Party (UPP), Osita Chidoka, has strongly demanded for the creation of an additional state in the South-East to bring it at par with other regions.
He said the creation of an additional state was a panacea to the widely condemned political inequity in the country.
Chidoka, according to a statement signed by its Director of Media, Viola Okolie, spoke at the official launch of his campaign in Amorka Uli.
He was said to have also seized the occasion to unveil and present the Isi-Agu (Tiger head) emblem of the UPP as the undying symbol of Igbo consciousness, to the crowd of supporters, who waved their voters card, and went into affirmative jubilation and songs.
He was in the company of UPP National Chairman, Chekwas Okorie, Debe Ojukwu, son of late Biafra leader Dim Odimegwu Ojukwu among others, who also took to the stage to lift the UPP flag with its isi-agu logo.
According to Chidoka, the direct demand for the sixth state in the south-east was significant, coming on the eve of the nation’s 57th Independence Day celebration.
The former Aviation minister, who prayed God to hear the prayers of the people of the south-east and end the numerous challenges facing the region, undertook to lead a new engagement that would end the marginalisation and repression of the Igbo, vowing to champion the creation of a sixth state in the region as part of the renewed engagement to bring equity to the region.
“While we salute all those who through one legitimate way or the other have pursued the struggle, we state today that we are stepping into a new frontier. The Igbo voice against marginalisation and injustice will not be achieved on the streets. It will rather be won with a determined engagement of our institutions of government and with other Nigerians who feel aggrieved to redefine the meaning of Nigeria and remove the inequalities that have fanned the embers of discord, and restructure our nation along the lines of justice, equality and fairness.
“To this end, my election as governor of Anambra State, will start off with a single agenda; an agenda to secure a new state for the south-east region to bridge the disparity we face. We will immediately, upon inauguration, in line with S. 8 (1) of the 1999 constitution get our National Assembly members from Anambra state, our elected House of Assembly members, and local government chairmen to sign a request to the National Assembly asking for a referendum for the sixth south-east state.
“We will vigorously engage our friends from other states in the National Assembly and other states House of Assembly for a new state. Nigeria must take a decision on the issue of additional state for the southeast before the end of tenure of the 8th Assembly and the 2019 election”, he said, adding that when that is accomplished, he will be ready for another election.
Chidoka in his thought provoking speech maintained that there are no terrorists in the south-east, adding that the nation should not regard the Igbo quest for self determination as terrorism. “We cannot build a great nation without unity at home. We cannot be a nation where people are hated, branded and then hounded and ostracized. We stand here to declare that there are no terrorists in our state; there are no terrorists in our region and we do not feel terrorized as a people. Indeed, without further argument, we do not believe that those who are asking for a restructured Nigeria or even for dismemberment of Nigeria are terrorists. No! They are not”, he said
