The House of Representatives, yesterday, passed a bill seeking to alter the 1999 Constitution to create Etiti State in the South East.

The proposed state is to be created out of the current Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo states.

When created, the new state will have 11 local council areas drawn from the five states, with headquarters at Lokpanta.

The bill, which passed through first reading, was sponsored by Amobi Godwin Ogah, representing Isikwuato/Umunneochi Federal Constituency and four others at the plenary session presided over by Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu.

Other co-sponsors include Princess Miriam Odinaka Onuoha, representing Okigwe and Onuimo Federal Constituencies; Kama Nkemkama, representing Ivo/Ohozara Federal Constituencies; Princess Chinwe Nnabuife, representing Orumba South and North Federal Constituencies and Anayo Onwuegbu, representing Oji River, Agwai, and Aniri Federal Constituencies.

The bill seeks to alter three sections of the 1999 Constitution by deleting the “36” and replacing it with “37” to accommodate the new state.

The proposed legislation will also insert the word “Etiti” immediately after “Enugu” in the list of states in Nigeria.

It also seeks to alter the listing of local governments according to states and transfer the 11 local council areas from their current states to the new state.

The local councils to be affected are Isuikwuato and Umu-Nneochi (Abia), Orumba North and Orumba South (Anambra), Ivo and Ohozara (Ebonyi), Aninri, Agwu and Oji River (Enugu), as well as Okigwe and Onuimo (Imo).

Similar bill to create an Orlu state in the region, sponsored by Ikeagwuonu Ugochinyere, had scaled first reading in the lower chamber.

Also, a bill to create additional three states in the South West region, OkeOgun, Ijebu and IfeIjesa is also being considered by the lower chamber.

Sponsored by the member representing Obokun/Oriade Federal Constituency, Osun State, Oluwole Oke, the bill proposes to amend the First Schedule, Part I of the Constitution to include that OkeOgun state, with Iseyin as its proposed capital city, will comprise 12 councils.