Reps’ c’tte gets proposal for creation of 31 new states

The House of Representatives Committee on Constitution Review on Thursday said it has received proposal for the creation of 31 additional states to the existing 36 state of the country. Chairman of the committee and deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Okezie Kalu, disclosed this to members while reading a letter from the […]

The House of Representatives Committee on Constitution Review on Thursday said it has received proposal for the creation of 31 additional states to the existing 36 state of the country.

Chairman of the committee and deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Okezie Kalu, disclosed this to members while reading a letter from the committee’, clerk during plenary.

According to Kalu, the Committee has received a proposal for additional new 6 state in the North Central; 4 in the North East; 5 in the North West; 5 in South East; 4 in the South South and 7 in the South West.

The states being considered include Okun state, Okura state and Confluence states from Kogi; Benue Ala and Apa states from Benue; FCT State; Amana State from Adamawa; Katagum from Bauchi State, Savannah State from Borno and Muri State from Taraba.

The proposed states also include New Kaduna State and Gujarat State from Kaduna State; Tiga and Ari from Kano; Kainji from Kebbi State; Etiti and Orashi as the 6th state in the South East; Adada from Enugu as well as Orlu and Aba from the South East.

Others are Ogoja from Cross River; Warri from Delta, Ori and Obolo from Rivers; Torumbe from Ondo; Ibadan from Oyo; Lagoon from Lagos; Lagoon from Lagos and Ogun; Ijebu from Ogun; Oke Ogun/Ijesha from Oyo/Ogun/Osun states.

The committee in the letter outlined the criteria that must be met to initiate state creation process.

Among the requirements include: “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, is 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 demands.

“Proposals shall be resubmitted in strict adherence to the stipulations. Submit three hard copies of the full proposal of the memoranda to the Secretariat of the Committee at Room H331, House of Representatives, White House, National Assembly Complex, and Abuja. Sub-copies must also be sent electronically to the Committee’s email address at info.hccr.gov.nj.

“The Committee remains committed to supporting the implementing efforts that align with the Constitutional provisions and would only consider proposals that comply with the stipulated guidelines.”