BREAKING: Senate Debunks Creation Of 20 New States

• The Senate has debunked the creation of 20 new states in the country.

EKO HOT BLOG reports that the Senate, on Sunday, debunked a report that the Senate Committee on the Review of 1999 Constitution has proposed the creation of 20 new states in Nigeria.

This was made known via a statement by the Senate Spokesperson and Chairman, Senate Committee of Media and Public Affairs, Ajibola Basiru.

The statement was titled, ‘Senate Committee did not propose the creation of 20 New States’.

Bashiru, who described the report as a gross misrepresentation of the decision of the Senate Committee on the request for creation of more states, said the 20 new states would only approve the creation of any if there is compliance with the provisions of section 8 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended.

The Senate Committee stated, “Our attention has been drawn to a media report that the Senate Committee of Review of 1999 Constitution has proposed the creation of additional 20 States.

Far from recommending creation of any state, the Senate Committee, while acknowledging receipts of several Bills proposing creation of new states, decided that it is not in a position to recommend or proposed the creation of any state unless there is compliance with the provisions of section 8 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic as amended.

“For ease of reference, Section 8 of the Constitution provides:

An Act of the National Assembly for the purpose of creating a new State shall only be passed if-

(a) a request, supported by at least two-thirds majority of members (representing the area demanding the creation of the new State) in each of the following, namely –

(i) the Senate and the House of Representatives,

(ii) the House of Assembly in respect of the area, and

(iii) the local government councils in respect of the area,

is received by the National Assembly;

(b) a proposal for the creation of the State is thereafter approved in a referendum by at least two-thirds majority of the people of the area where the demand for creation of the State originated;

(c) the result of the referendum is then approved by a simple majority of all the States of the Federation supported by a simple majority of members of the Houses of Assembly; and

(d) the proposal is approved by a resolution passed by two-thirds majority of members of each House of the National Assembly.

READ ALSO: Senate Recommends Creation of 11 States In North, Others Nine (Full List)

“In view of the above, the Senate Committee is not in a position to propose creation of any state as reported. Rather the committee decided to refer the requests received to the Independent National Electoral Commission to ensure compliance with section 8 of the Constitution by conducting referendum in the areas if the requests supported by at least two-thirds majority of members (representing the area demanding the creation of the new State) in the Senate, the House of Representatives and the House of Assembly in the area.

“The above clarifications are imperative to set the record straight,” the statement read.

Below is the full list of the names of the 20 new states:

ITAI State (from Akwa Ibom State)

State status for the FCT

Katagum State from Bauchi State

Okura State from Kogi East

Adada State from Enugu State

Gurara State from Kaduna South

Ijebu State from Ogun State

Ibadan State from Oyo State

Tiga State from Kano State

Ghari State from Kano State

Amana State from Adamawa

Gongola State from Adamawa

Mambilla State from Taraba State

Savannah State from Borno State

Okun state from Kogi State.

Etiti State from the South East Zone

Orashi State from Imo and Anambra states

Njaba from the present Imo State

Excision of Aba State from Abia State;

Anioma State from Delta State

Torogbene and Oil River States, from Bayelsa Delta and Rivers states

Bayajida State from parts of Katsina, Jigawa, and Zamfara states.

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