Governor Alex Otti of Abia State has made it clear where he stands on the creation of new states in Nigeria. He recently addressed some media reports that suggested he was against adding more states for the South East, calling those claims “mischievous and diversionary.” Otti emphasized that his views on this issue have been steady over the years and shouldn’t be twisted for political gain.
In a statement delivered by his Special Adviser, Ferdinand Ekeoma, on Saturday, Governor Otti explained that while he has consistently opposed the broad creation of new states in Nigeria due to concerns about economic sustainability, he does see the need for fair regional representation. “One geopolitical zone in the North has as many as seven states, while the South East is left with just five. There’s a valid argument for creating one more state in the South East to address this imbalance,” Ekeoma quoted the governor.
Known for his forward-thinking economic ideas, Otti has long advocated for restructuring Nigeria into six robust regions, a change he believes would greatly cut down on governance costs. “Many of the current states aren’t economically viable on their own,” Ekeoma pointed out. “What Nigeria really needs isn’t just more states, but a restructuring that fosters efficiency, accountability, and real development.”
Otti also took the chance to reference historical leaders to strengthen his point. “Leaders like M.I. Okpara and Sam Mbakwe didn’t wait for small states to make a difference. They governed larger areas and still managed to deliver legacy projects that we look back on today,” he noted, adding that simply creating more states doesn’t guarantee better governance. GMTNewsng
Cautioning against hasty political decisions, Governor Otti compared the push for new states to a risky gamble that could lead to more problems than solutions. GMTNewsng
