- 55 proposals for state creation across the country
- FG should create another state in the South-East
- lawmakers to build a broad consensus within the National Assembly
The Joint Committee of the Senate and House of Representatives on Constitution Review has approved the creation of an additional state in Nigeria’s South-East region.
Eko Hot Blog reports that in a statement released by the committee’s media unit, the decision was made at a two-day retreat in Lagos, where members deliberated on 55 proposals for state creation across the country.
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The session, chaired by the Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin, and co-chaired by the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, reached a resolution that, in the spirit of fairness and equity, the Federal Government should create another state in the South-East.
Kalu, who has been vocal about the need for a balanced federation, argued that the creation of a new state would ensure political inclusion and give the South-East a stronger sense of belonging within the Nigerian federation.
When approved, the region will comprise six states, aligning it with the South-South, South-West, North-Central, and North-East zones, each of which has six states. The South-East currently consists of Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo. The North-West remains the only region with seven states: Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto, Zamfara, and Jigawa.
According to the statement, Senator Abdul Ningi from Bauchi Central moved the motion for the creation of the new state, which was seconded by Ibrahim Isiaka, representing Ifo/Ewekoro Federal Constituency in Ogun State. The motion received unanimous approval from committee members.
The committee also formed a sub-committee to further examine the creation of new states and local government areas across all six geopolitical zones. It noted that a total of 278 proposals had been submitted for consideration.
Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin urged lawmakers to build a broad consensus within the National Assembly and state Houses of Assembly to ensure the resolution’s successful passage.
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