House of Reps Committee Proposes Creation of 31 new States
The House of Representatives Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution announced on Thursday, that it has received 31 proposals for the creation of new states across the six geopolitical zones.
Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu read a letter from the committee during plenary, outlining the conditions that must be met before any state creation requests can be approved.
According to the letter, the proposals include five 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.
Among the states being considered are Okun, Okura, and Confluence (Kogi); Benue Ala and Apa (Benue); FCT State; Amana (Adamawa); Katagum (Bauchi); Savannah (Borno); and Muri (Taraba).
The states also include New Kaduna state and Gujarat states from Kaduna state; Tiga and Ari from Kano, and Kainji from Kebbi state; Etiti and Orashi as the 6th state in the South East, Adada from Enugu, Orlu abd Aba from. The South East.
They also 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 the 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.
List of proposals for the creation of 31 states in Nigeria at the National Assembly:
NORTH-CENTRAL
1. BENUE ALA STATE from the present Benue State.
2. OKUN STATE from the present Kogi State
3. OKURA STATE from the present Kogi State
4. CONFLUENCE STATE from the present Kogi State
5. APA-AGBA STATE from Benue South Senatorial District
6. APA STATE from the present Benue State.
7. A 37th state, namely FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY, ABUJA
NORTH-EAST
8. AMANA STATE from the present Adamawa State.
9. KATAGUM STATE from the present Bauchi State.
10. SAVANNAH STATE from the present Borno State.
11.MURI STATE from the present Taraba State.
NORTH-WEST
12. NEW KADUNA STATE and GURARA STATE from the present Kaduna State.
13. TIGA STATE from the present Kano State.
14. KAINJI STATE from the present Kebbi State.
15. GHARI STATE from the present Kano State
SOUTH-EAST
16. ETITI STATE as the sixth (6th) state in the South East geopolitical zone.
17. ADADA STATE from the present Enugu State of Nigeria.
18. URASHI STATE as the sixth (6th) state in the South East geopolitical zone.
19. ORLU STATE from the South Eastern Region of Nigeria.
20. ABA STATE from the South Eastern Region of Nigeria.
SOUTH-SOUTH
21. OGOJA STATE from the present Cross River State.
22. WARRI STATE from the present Delta State.
23. BORI STATE from the present Rivers State
24. OBOLO STATE from the present Rivers and Akwa Ibom States.
SOUTH-WEST
25. TORU-EBE STATE from the present Delta, Edo, and Ondo States.
26. IBADAN STATE from the present Oyo State.
27. LAGOON STATE from the present Lagos State.
28. IJEBU STATE from the present Ogun State.
29. LAGOON STATE from the present Lagos State and Ogun State
30. IBADAN STATE from the present Oyo State.
31. OKE-OGUN and IFE-IJESHA STATES from the Present-day Ogun, Oyo, and Osun states.
The Committee on the Review of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) received legislative proposals aimed at the establishment of these new states and local governments.