By Chidi Nkwopara

OWERRI—Imo State Creation Coordinating Committee set up by Imo State Government says it settled for the creation of Ugwuaku State, comprising of the old Awgu and Okigwe provinces, after a thorough consideration of all the memoranda submitted by interest groups.

Disclosing this at the submission of its report to Governor Ikedi Ohakim, the Committee Chairman, Chief Bon Nwakanma (SAN), also said that they adopted the creation of Ugwuaku State because it has the greatest from members of the state and National Assemblies, representing the area.

“The Committee called for memoranda and invited leaders and promoters of the state creation groups of Njaba, Orashi, Etiti and Ugwuaku. The three viable agitating groups were Orashi, Njaba and ugwuaku”, Nwakanma said.

He further explained that “while Njaba State Movement lost signatories in Ideato North, Ideato South, Oru East, Oru West, Oguta and Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Areas, Ugwuaku State Movement had a superior vote of 12 against the former’s six and Orashi’s four”.

Responding, Governor Ohakim commended the committee members for their sacrifice and diligent service to the state, adding that all the agitations are plausible but appealed to them to accept a compromise position.

He promised that the State Executive Council would review the report and send it to the local council areas and political leaders for deliberation, promising that the decision of the state would be transmitted to other South Eastern States with a view to harmonizing the agitation.