The Prince and Princess Charles Offokaja Foundation Nigeria and the Prince and Princess Charles Offokaja Foundation Switzerland have filed a lawsuit against the Nigerian Government over its failure to create a sixth state in its South Eastern geopolitical zone in order to bring it up to par with the other geopolitical zones of Nigeria.
According to the NGOs this is contrary to the Principle of Equality and Non Discrimination, and contrary to Nigeria’s obligation to ensure the right to Development.
The North West has 7 states, while Four other geopolitical zones, the South West, South South, North Central and North East have 6 states each. Only the South East is left with 5 states.
The Plaintiffs’ application in the suit reads, “This failure of the Defendant has led to marginalization of the People of the South East in terms of access to resources for Development: in the allocation of funds for Development from the Federation Account; in the number of Senate seats allocated to the South East; and in the number of statutory seats allocated to the South East at the Federal Executive Council (FEC).
“The Plaintiffs contend that this distinction is arbitrary, discriminatory and amounts to a violation of the principle of Equality and Non Discrimination, and is a violation of the right to Equality under Article 19 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (hereinafter referred to as the African Charter).
“As a result of this failure to create a 6th state in the South East to bring it up to par with the other geopolitical zones, the Defendant has also violated the right to Development of the People of the zone under Article 22 of the African Charter.”
The Plaintiffs are asking for, among other things, an order compelling the Defendants to create a sixth state in the South East with 1 year.