Bill To Create Okura State Out Of Kogi Passes Second Reading

The House of Representatives has passed for the second reading, a bill seeking for the creation of Okura State with Egume as the capital out of the present Kogi State.

The proposed legislation titled; “Bill for an Act to Alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) to Provide for Creation of Okura State with Egume as the Proposed State Capital and for Related Matters (HB.1568) is sponsored by the Deputy House Leader, Hon. Abdullahi Ibrahim Halims and eight others.

Leading debate on the general principles of the bill, Halims said the creation of the state will ensure lasting peace create a sense of belonging and bring government closer to the people.

He also said the creation of Okura State will engender “balance, more representation, and equitable distribution of the nation’s resources, more development and wellbeing of the people of Igala.”

The House Deputy Leader said when created, the state will be inhabited by the Igala people who are the ninth largest ethnic group in Nigeria with a population of 1.48 million people according to the National Population Census, 2006.

The member representing Ajaokuta Federal Constituency in Kogi State, Hon. Sanni Egidi Abdulraheem supported the creation of Okura State, but insisted that his constituency be removed out of it and the map which he saw that captured Ajaokuta be redesigned.

He argued that Ajaokuta was in the Kogi Central Senatorial District and no one in the constituency had been consulted for it to be part of the proposed state, hence asked that Ajaokuta be left out.

Kicking against the bill, the Minority Leader, Hon. Kingsley Chinda faulted the lawmakers and others bringing bills for state creation, saying that should have come in form of a request as provided for in Section 8 the Constitution.

He said Section 8 (1) provides that; 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.

Chinda said such must satisfy the provision saying, “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.”

Hoever, the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Benjamin Kalu contributing in support of the bill, countered the Minority Leader that members can bring requests for the interest of their constituents through bills which could be referred to the relevant committees.

Kalu urged the House to let the bill passed just like the one which sought the creation of Etiti State out of Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo States and be referred to the Constitution Review Committee for further legislative scrutiny.

In his ruling, Speaker of the House, Hon. Abbas Tajudeen said the bill was just one of the ways lawmakers could bring their requests to the House for consideration, adding that it could as well come as a motion.

The bill was thereafter passed for second reading and referred to the Committee on Constitution Review.

Also, the House passed for second reading, a bill seeking for a pregnant woman who is convicted of an offence punishable by death to have her sentence reduced to life imprisonment instead of death sentence.

The proposed law titled: “Bill for an Act to Alter Section 33 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to insert a new subsection which provides that if a Pregnant Woman is Convicted of an Offence Punishable by Death, the Court Shall Sentence her to Life Imprisonment Instead of Death Sentence (HB. 1409) is sponsored by Hon. Babajimi Benson (APC, Lagos).

In a brief lead debate, the Chairman House Committee on Defence said the bill proposed just an insertion of Subsection 1(a) to provide that where it is established that such a woman is pregnant, her death sentence be reduced to life improvement.

The bill was passed for second reading and referred to the Committee on Constitution Review.