Immediate past President-General of socio-cultural organisation, Ohaneze Ndigbo, Nnia Nwodo, has appealed to the National Assembly to support the South-East in actualising the creation of Adada out of the present Enugu state.

Mr Nwodo made the appeal in a presentation at the Public Hearing on Review of 1999 Constitution in Enugu on Thursday.

He said the demand should be taken seriously to bridge the gap of marginalisation of the zone, adding that the request had been on since 1983.

Mr Nwodo explained that the stakeholders from the zone unanimously agreed on the need to create an additional state to reduce the imbalance in the zonal structure of Nigeria.

“At a political meeting held in Imo, four state demands were presented to the States Creation Movement for consideration.

“The four states included Aba, Adada, Njaba and Orashi but Adada was selected after winning the highest votes.

“The implication of this is that Adada state demand is the first choice of the South-East.

“And since then, signatures have been collected in this regard,” he said.

He also appealed to other states in the southeast to support and allow Adada state to be created out of Enugu state.

The former president noted that Adada state would comprise of Igbo Etiti, Igbo Eze North, Igbo Eze South, Isi Uzo, Nsukka, Udenu and Uzo Uwani Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state.

Responding, the Chairman Senate Committee on the Constitution Review in the South-East, Senator Ike Ekweremadu said the senate had taken note of the request.

He pledged to support the actualisation of the additional state in the South-East.

“We will support you through proper guidance, technical advice and it cannot be achieved through force but by appeal,” he said.

(NAN)