The House of Representatives, yesterday, said it had received proposals for the creation of 31 new states in the six geo-political zones in the ongoing review of the 1999 constitution.
The proposed states, if created, will increase the number to 67. There are 36 states with five in the South East. The South West, South South, North Central and North East have six states each while the North West has seven.
A breakdown of the proposals revealed that in the North Central, there are requests for the creation of seven states, including Benue Ala, Apa Agba, and Apa states from the present Benue State; Okun, Okura and Confluence states from the present Kogi State, and upgrading the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, to the status of a state.
Also, in the North East, there are proposals for the creation of Amana, Katagum Savannah and Muri states from the present Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno and Taraba states, respectively. Similarly, there are proposals for the creation of five new states namely New Kaduna and Gurrara, from the present Kaduna State, Tiga and Ghari states, from the present Kano State and Kainji from Kebbi State.
In the South East, the proposed states are Etiti, to be carved out from the five existing states in the zone; Adada from Enugu State, Orashi, Orlu and Aba states to be created from Imo and Abia states.https://googleads.g.doubleclick.net/pagead/ads?client=ca-pub-6321061981120130&format=100×320&w=100&h=320&ptt=12&iu=4759658383%20data-auto-format%3D&adk=2172303296&output=html&bc=7&pv=2&wgl=1&asnt=0-26622703932336416861&dff=Georgia%2C%20%22Times%20New%20Roman%22%2C%20Times%2C%20serif&brdim=0%2C0%2C0%2C0%2C360%2C0%2C360%2C608%2C360%2C608&ifi=1&pfx=0&adf=730195093&nhd=0&adx=16&ady=1700&oid=2&is_amp=5&_v=2501142147000&d_imp=1&c=914816007598&ga_cid=GA1.1.557456906.1722914503&ga_hid=7598&dt=1738902237649&biw=360&bih=608&u_aw=360&u_ah=800&u_cd=24&u_w=360&u_h=800&u_tz=60&u_his=50&vis=1&scr_x=0&scr_y=0&url=https%3A%2F%2Fthesun.ng%2Fconstitution-review-reps-get-proposal-for-creation-of-31-new-states%2F&loc=https%3A%2F%2Fthesun.ng%2Fconstitution-review-reps-get-proposal-for-creation-of-31-new-states%2F%3Famp&ref=https%3A%2F%2Fthesun.ng%2Fconstitution-review-reps-get-proposal-for-creation-of-31-new-states%2F&bdt=597&uap=Android&uapv=10.0.0&uam=TECNO%20CD6j&uafv=132.0.6834.163&dtd=51&__amp_source_origin=https%3A%2F%2Fthesun.ng
In the South South, the proponents of new states want Ogoja, Warri, and Bori states to be created from Cross River, Delta and Rivers states, respectively, as well as Obolo State from the present Rivers and Akwa Ibom states.
From the South West, there are proposals for the creation of six new states. The proposed states are Toru-ebe to be carved out from the present Delta, Edo and Ondo states, as well as Ibadan and Lagoon states to be carved out of Oyo and Lagos states, respectively. Others are Ijebu State to be created from the present Ogun State and Oke-Ogun and Ife-Ijesha states to be created from the present Ogu, Oyo and Osun states.
The House Committee on Constitution Review, in a notice to members, and signed by the deputy speaker, Benjamin Kalu, who is also the chairman of the committee, directed proponents of the new states to re-submit their requests in accordance with Section 8(1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
“The committee has reviewed the proposals for the creation of new states in accordance with Section 8(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended). This section outlines specific requirements that must be fulfilled to initiate the process of state creation. Proposals will be re-submitted in strict adherence to these stipulations,” Kalu stated.
The deputy speaker assured that the “committee remains committed to supporting legitimate efforts that aligns with constitutional provisions and will only consider proposals that comply with the stipulated guideline.”
Meanwhile, the House has said it would hold an exhibition on gender inclusion tagged “Art for Governance”, as part of efforts to drum up support for gender issues in the ongoing review of the 1999 Constitution ( as amended).
The Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu, stated this when he received a delegation from Albright Stonebridge Group.
Kalu explained that the exhibition scheduled for next month is being organised in partnership with Advocacy for Civic Engagement Centre, ElectHER and National Assembly Library.
According to him, the event seeks to creatively engage stakeholders, foster public discourse, and catalyse action on gender inclusion in governance, through the power of art.
“There is a low representation of women in the country’s Legislative Houses, and we are minded to redress that through this Bill. It is a temporary measure that is subject to a periodic review but will ultimately lead to a better deal for women. Also, there are four other gender-focused bills to prioritise women inclusion and empowerment.
“We hope to do more as we recognise the value women bring to the table. Like I always say, ‘women belong in all places where decisions are being made.’ We believe that improving women’s political representation and participation in Nigeria is essential for achieving a more inclusive, balanced, and democratic society.
“This exhibition will be a form of advocacy for the affirmative action bills and particularly, the special seat bill and will display works that reflect themes of female empowerment. By showcasing these pieces, we aim to foster dialogue on how governance can be more inclusive, representative, and impactful for all citizens.”
Credit: The Sun