[FULL LIST]: Reps Committee Suggests Creation of 31 Additional States in Nigeria

The House of Representatives Constitution Review Committee has proposed the creation of additional thirty one states in Nigeria.

The proposal is in addition to the nation’s existing thirty six states and the Federal Capital Territory.

The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, who is also the Chairman of the Constitution Review Committee, Mr. Benjamin Kalu, who presided over the plenary session read a letter from the Committee to the House.

According to the committee, it is proposing an additional six new states in the North Central, four in the North East, five in the North West, five in the South-South, and seven in the South West.

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

They also include New Kaduna State and Gujarat State from Kaduna State; Tiga and Ari from Kano; Kainji from Kebbi State; Etiti and Orashi as the 6th state in the Southeast; Adada from Enugu; and Orlu and Aba from the Southeast.

Others are 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, and 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 process of state creation, which include the following:. New state and boundaries. 1. An act of the National Assembly for the purpose of creating 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 is received by the National Assembly. Local government advocates for the creation of 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,” the letter said.

“Specifically, in accordance with 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 for fulfilment of state demands.

It also called for proposal to be resubmitted in strict adherence to the stipulations.

“Submit three hard copies of the full 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 “ He said.

The Deputy Speaker added that “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”.

The proposed states include:

• North-Central Zone
  • Benue Ala State from present-day Benue State
  • Okun State from present-day Kogi State
  • Okura State from present-day Kogi State
  • Confluence State from present-day Kogi State
  • Apa-Agba State from Benue South Senatorial District
  • Apa State from present-day Benue State
  • Federal Capital Territory, Abuja as the 37th state
• North-East Zone
  • Amana State from present-day Adamawa State
  • Katagum State from present-day Bauchi State
  • Savannah State from present-day Borno State
  • Muri State from present-day Taraba State
• North-West Zone
  • New Kaduna State and Gurara State from present-day Kaduna State
  • Tiga State from present-day Kano State
  • Kainji State from present-day Kebbi State
  • Ghari State from present-day Kano State
• South-East Zone
  • Etiti State as the sixth state in the South-East
  • Adada State from present-day Enugu State
  • Urashi State as the sixth state in the South-East
  • Orlu State from the South-East region
  • Aba State from the South-East region
• South-South Zone
  • Ogoja State from present-day Cross River State
  • Warri State from present-day Delta State
  • Bori State from present-day Rivers State
  • Obolo State from present-day Rivers and Akwa Ibom States
• South-West Zone
  • Toru-Ebe State from parts of Delta, Edo, and Ondo States
  • Ibadan State from present-day Oyo State
  • Lagoon State from present-day Lagos State
  • Ijebu State from present-day Ogun State
  • Oke-Ogun and Ife-Ijesha States from parts of Ogun, Oyo, and Osun States