Ike Ekweremadu, Deputy Senate President says a bill for the creation of the South East Development Commission (SEDC) will soon be passed by the senate.
Ekweremadu said this on Monday at the South East summit on restructuring of Nigeria, which held at the Alex Ekwueme Square, Awka, the capital of Anambra State.
“We want to thank Nigerians that showed solidarity to our people in times of our neglect, especially in the last constitutional conference, where it was agreed that the South East requires an additional State,” Ekweremadu said.
“I’m happy that most of you are here today to show that you still stand by us. In the next week or two, in the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the South East development commission bill will definitely be passed by the grace of God.”
The clamour for a development commission for the South East region of Nigeria became stronger following the passing and subsequent signing into law of the North East Development Commission (NEDC), which is intended to cater for the reconstruction of the Boko Haram-ravaged region, as well as to rehabilitate victims of the insurgency.
The SEDC bill was struck out by the House of Representatives on May 31, 2017, after it had passed the first and second reading.
In the Senate, the bill, which was co-sponsored by Stella Oduah and Samuel Anyanwu, passed the second reading on June 7, 2016 and was referred to the committee on establishment and public service matters for further legislative input.
Speaking further on Monday, Ekweremadu said that federal legislators of Igbo descent will continue to network with their colleagues from across the country, in order to arrive at a fair consensus on the issue of restructuring, adding that no part of the country can do it alone.
Earlier at the event, John Nwodo, President General of Ohaneze ndi Igbo, said the current Nigerian constitution is dead and must be replaced so that the country could move forward.
“This constitution with which Nigeria is being governed is dead, so we ask that a new one be enacted. By asking for a new constitution, we are calling for a constitutional conference so that we the Nigerian people can adopt for ourselves a constitution,” Nwodo said.