The House of Representatives Committee on Constitution Review on Thursday put forward a proposal for the creation of 31 additional states in Nigeria.
The House of Representatives Committee on Constitution Review on Thursday put forward a proposal for the creation of 31 additional states in Nigeria.
If approved, this would increase the number of states in the country from the current 36, plus the Federal Capital Territory, to a total of 67 sub-national entities.
The proposal was revealed in a letter read during Thursday’s plenary session by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, who presided over the proceedings in the absence of Speaker Tajudeen Abbas.
The letter read in part, “The committee proposes the creation of 31 new states. As amended, this section outlines specific requirements that must be fulfilled to initiate the process of state creation, which include the following:
“1. New state and boundaries
“An act of the National Assembly for the purpose of creating a new state shall only be passed if it requires support by at least the third majority of members.
“The House of Representatives, the House of Assembly in respect of the area, and the Local Government Council in respect of the area are received by the National Assembly.
“Local government advocates for the creation of additional local government areas are only reminded that Section 8 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended, applies to this process.
“Specifically, in accordance with Section 8 (3) of the Constitution, the outcome of the votes of the State Houses of Assembly in the referendum must be forwarded to the National Assembly for fulfillment of state,” the proposal partly reads.
The proposal outlines the creation of several new states across Nigeria. From Kogi, the proposed states include Okun, Okura, and Confluence. Benue is set to have Benue Ala and Apa States, while the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, is also proposed as a separate state. Additionally, Amana is to be carved out of Adamawa, Katagum from Bauchi, Savannah from Borno, and Muri from Taraba.
In Kaduna, the proposed states are New Kaduna and Gujarat, while Kano is expected to have Tiga and Ari. Kebbi is to get Kainji, and the South East will have Etiti and Orashi as its sixth state, along with Adada from Enugu, and Orlu and Aba from the region.
Further proposed states include Ogoja from Cross River, Warri from Delta, and Ori and Obolo from Rivers. Torumbe is expected from Ondo, Ibadan from Oyo, Lagoon from Lagos, Ijebu from Ogun, and Oke Ogun/Ijesha from parts of Oyo, Ogun, and Osun States.
