- South- East remains marginalized with least states
BY BONNY AMADI
With the approved creation of six new states in each geopolitical zone of Nigeria, the South East will still remain marginalized in resource allocation from the federal government with the least number of states.
The creation of new states will boost resources allocation to other zones by one or two states ahead of the South East zone, which with the new state will have six states, with other zones will have seven or eight states in all.
The National Assembly Joint Committee on Constitution Review has approved the creation of six new states, one in each of Nigeria’s geopolitical zones, as part of its resolution in the ongoing review of the nation’s constitution.
If ratified, the number of states in the country will rise from 36 to 42, with the North-west having eight, and the North-east, North-central, South-west, and South-south having seven each, and the South-east six.
The decision was reached during a two-day retreat held in Lagos from Friday to Saturday.
The committee also resolved to establish a subcommittee to determine the specific areas from which the six new states will be created. Chief Whip of the Senate, Tahir Monguno (APC, Borno North), was appointed to chair the sub-committee.
The retreat reviewed 55 proposals for new states, two boundary adjustment requests, and 278 requests for the creation of additional local government areas from various interest groups across the country.
It was earlier reported that the committee resolved to create a state for the South-east to bring the number of states in the zone to six.
It currently has five states: Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo. Chairpersons of both chambers of the National Assembly, Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, and Deputy Speaker Ben Kalu, are expected to present the committee’s resolutions when lawmakers reconvene for plenary.
The proposals will then be debated at the Committee of the Whole, where members will vote to approve or reject them.
Constitutional procedure for creating new states.
Section 8 of Nigeria’s constitution outlines the procedures and requirements for the creation of new states.
It stipulates that the process must begin with a formal request signed by at least two thirds of the elected representatives (Senators, members of the House of Representatives, and members of the State House of Assembly) from the area seeking the new state.
According to Section 8(1)(b), the proposal must then be approved in a referendum by at least a two-thirds majority of the people in the area demanding the new state.
Recommended for you
Leave a Reply
Leave a Reply
