P1By Gloria Ikibah
The Deputy Speaker House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu, alongside other senior lawmakers, is set to meet with advocates for the creation of a new state in the South East.
This forms part of a series of consultations aimed at addressing state creation in the region. 
The meeting, which is scheduled for 14 November 2025, will take place in one of the South East state capitals. And is expected to draw together a wide range of stakeholders, including members of the National Assembly, state governors, speakers and deputy speakers of the various state Houses of Assembly, ministers, and heads of federal agencies from the zone.
According to a statement released after a high-level engagement between the Deputy Speaker and the South East Caucus of the Senate on Monday, the forthcoming forum will allow proponents of the new state to present their proposals. It will also serve as a platform for stakeholders to align their views before the issue proceeds to parliamentary debate.
At the meeting chaired by Senator Osita Isunaso, legislators from the South East agreed to pursue a common stance on the matter of state creation before tabling it before the National Assembly for formal consideration and voting.
A similar session had previously been held in the House of Representatives, where lawmakers resolved to widen consultations to include the Senate and other relevant bodies.
It is worth to note that the Joint Committee of the Senate and House of Representatives on Constitution Review, during its recent retreat in Lagos co-chaired by the Deputy Senate President, Senator Jubrin Barau, and Deputy Speaker Kalu, endorsed the establishment of an additional state in the South East. This move is intended to ensure parity with other geopolitical zones across the country.
