Reps Get Proposals For 31 Additional States

The House of Representatives Constitution Review Committee has received legislative proposals to create an additional 31 states.

This was contained in the committee’s letter to the House, which was read at plenary by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, who presided over the sitting on Thursday.

According to the letter, proposals exist for six additional states in the North Central, four in the North East, five in the North West, five in the South East, four in the South-South, and seven in the South West.

The states being considered include Okun, Okura and Confluence states from Kogi; Benue Ala, Apa-Agba and Apa states from Benue; FCT state; Amana state from Adamawa; Katagum from Bauchi state; Savannah state from Borno and Muri state from Taraba.

The states also include New Kaduna and Gujarat states from Kaduna state; Tiga and Ari from Kano, and Kainji from Kebbi state; Etiti and Orashi as the sixth state in the South East; Adada from Enugu; and Orlu and Aba from the South East.

Others are Ogoja from Cross River, Warri from Delta, Ori and Obolo from Rivers; Torumbe from Ondo, Ibadan grom Oyo, Lagoon from Lagos, Lagoon from Lagos and Ogun, Ijebu from Ogun, Oke Ogun/Ijesha from Oyo/Ogun/Osun states.

The letter reads: “As amended, this section outlines specific requirements that must be fulfilled to initiate the state creation process, including the following. New state and boundaries. 1. An act of the National Assembly to create a new state shall only be passed if it requires support by at least the third majority of members.

“The House of Representatives, the House of Assembly in respect of the area, and the Local Government Council in respect of the area are received by the National Assembly. Local Government Advocates for creating additional local government areas are only reminded that Section 8 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended, applies to this process.

“Specifically, by Section 8.3 of the Constitution, the outcome of the votes of the State Houses of Assembly in the referendum must be forwarded to the National Assembly to fulfil state demands.

“Proposals shall be resubmitted in strict adherence to the stipulations. Submit three hard copies of the complete proposal of the memoranda to the Secretariat of the Committee in Room H331, House of Representatives, White House, National Assembly Complex, and Abuja. Sub-copies must also be sent electronically to the Committee‘s email address at info.hccr.gov.nj.

“The Committee remains committed to supporting the implementing efforts that align with the Constitutional provisions and would only consider proposals that comply with the stipulated guidelines.“