The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has rejected a bill seeking to create an additional state for the South-East region.
The body has instead demanded a referendum to determine whether the region should remain a part of Nigeria.
POLITICS NIGERIA reports that the bill, sponsored by Imo State Representative Ikenga Ugochinyere, passed its first reading at the House of Representatives on Thursday.
The bill seeks to create Orlu State from Imo, Abia, and Anambra states.
However, IPOB’s spokesman, Emma Powerful, dismissed the proposal, stating that the region does not need more states, but rather a chance to decide its fate through a referendum.
“We don’t want more states in Igboland,” Powerful said.
“Creating more states in Igboland means creating more confusion and hatred among the Ndigbo. The already existing states have not been well managed by Nigeria, and now they want to create more confusion.”
Powerful argued that the cost of governance is increasing daily in Nigeria, and the new state would only add to the problems.
“Most of the existing states in the country are not viable, and they want to add more confusion and problems,” he said.
