The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, and lawmakers from South East are set to meet with stakeholders in the zone over the demand for the creation of additional state in the area on November 14.

Kalu, according to a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Levinus Nwabughiogu, said the meeting was part of the ongoing consultations on proposals for the creation of a new state in the region.

According to him, the consultative parley would bring together members of the National Assembly, governors, speakers and deputy speakers of state Houses of Assembly, ministers and heads of federal agencies from the South East.

He noted that the meeting would afford those canvassing for the creation of states in the South East and opportunity “to present their case and for stakeholders to harmonize their positions ahead of parliamentary consideration.”

The National Assembly Joint Committee on Constitution Review, recently, approved the creation of an additional state in the South East to bring the zone at par with other geopolitical regions of the country.

The deputy speaker said this was the outcome of a meeting between him and the South East caucus in the Senate.

According to him, “At the meeting chaired by Senator Osita Izunaso, lawmakers from the region resolved to pursue a unified position on state creation before submitting it to the National Assembly for debate and voting.

“A similar consultative meeting had earlier been held at the House of Representatives, with lawmakers agreeing to extend the engagement to the Senate.” (The Sun)