The House of Representatives committee on the review of the 1999 constitution, has received a proposal for the creation of additional 31 states, across the country.
The proposal, if approved by lawmakers, would increase the number of states across Nigeria to 67, leading to more local governments.
Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, disclosed this through a letter read before the committee during a plenary session on Thursday while setting out the conditions to be met before the requests can be approved.
Kalu, who presided over the session in the absence of the Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas, revealed that proposal includes six new states for North Central, four in the North East, five in the North West, five in South East, four in South-South and seven in 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).
Others presented were 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.
It 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.
“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.
“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.
“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 fulfillment of state demands.
“Proposals shall 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 at Room H331, House of Representatives, White House, National Assembly Complex, and Abuja.
