Philip Nyam The House of Representatives Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution yesterday, disclosed that it has received 31 proposals for the creation of new states across the six geopolitical zones.
Chairman of the committee and Deputy Speaker of the House, Benjamin Kalu, made the disclosure in a letter addressed to Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas.
Kalu read the letter, which was signed by him at the plenary. The letter outlined the conditions that must be met before any state creation requests can be approved.
The 31 proposed states are made up of seven from the North Central, four from the North East, five from the North West, five from the South East, four from the South South, and seven from the South West. Those from the North Central are: Benue Ala, Apa-Agba, and Apa (Benue); Okun, Okura, and Confluence (Kogi); FCT State (FCT).
From the North East are: Amana (Adamawa); Katagum (Bauchi); Savannah (Borno) and Muri (Taraba). The North West includes: New Kaduna State and Gurara states from Kaduna State; Tiga and Ari from Kano, and Kainji from Kebbi State.
In the South East are: Etiti and Orashi as the sixth state in the South East, Adada from Enugu, Orlu and Aba. Those from the South South include: Ogoja from Cross River, Warri from Delta, Ori and Obolo from Rivers; Torumbe from Ondo, Ibadan from Oyo, Lagoon from Lagos, and Ogun, Ijebu from Ogun, Oke Ogun/Ijesha from Oyo/Ogun/Osun states.
According to the letters, section 8 of the 1999 Constitution as amended outlines specific requirements that must be fulfilled to initiate the process of state creation.
The letter said: “A request to the National Assembly for the purpose of creating a new state shall only be passed if a request supported by at least two-third majority of members of the Senate and the House of Representatives and 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.” The committee, however, gave a March 5 deadline for those with proposals for additional local governments to send in their requests.
