Reactions Trail Proposed New States Creation

Reactions trail proposed new states creation as Afenifere, Ohanaeze, Ndigbo, Arewa speak

Reactions, from various sections and quarters of the country, have hit the proposed creation of new 31 States

Following the proposal made by the House of Representatives Constitution Review Committee to create 31 additional new states, prominent Nigerians and socio-political groups have aired their opinions.

The proposal, which is targeted at increasing the current 36 states of Nigeria to 67, was read by Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, who stood in for the absent Reps. Speaker Tajudeen Abbas.

According to the reading, the newly proposed states are as follows:

• North-Central: Okun, Okura, and Confluence (from Kogi); Benue Ala and Apa (from Benue); FCT State

• North-East: Amana (Adamawa); Katagum (Bauchi); Savannah (Borno); Muri (Taraba)

• North-West: New Kaduna, Gujarat (Kaduna); Tiga, Ari (Kano); Kainji (Kebbi)

• South-East: Etiti, Orashi (sixth states in the South-East); Adada (Enugu); Orlu (Imo); Aba (Abia)
• South-South: Ogoja (Cross River); Warri (Delta); Ori, Obolo (Rivers)
• South-West: Torumbe (Ondo); Ibadan (Oyo); Lagoon (Lagos); Ijebu, Ogun (Ogun); Oke-Ogun/Ijesha (Oyo/Ogun/Osun)

The committee said that the creation of the 31 new states need to meet constitutional requirements, with the two-thirds majority approval from the National Assembly, the concerned State Houses of Assembly, and Local Government Councils.

Reactions Trail Proposed New States Creation

Afenifere, Arewa Oppose New State Creation Proposal

Howbeit, major socio-cultural groups, as Afenifere, and the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), have opposed the proposal seeking creation of 31 new states, tagging it “ridiculous and unnecessary.”

In an interview, the National Organizing Secretary of Afenifere Abagun Kole Omololu swept the move under the carpet, stating that it is against Afenifere’s persistent demand for true federalism.

“Instead of addressing the core structural issues plaguing Nigeria, this initiative appears to be a mere political exercise that will further weaken governance and deepen economic inefficiencies.’’

Going by the records, Afenifere has been clamoring genuine fiscal federalism, synonymous to the system Nigeria practiced during her pre-independence.

Omololu said: “The creation of more states without a viable economic foundation will only compound the financial burden on the nation, as many existing states are already struggling to generate sufficient Internally Generated Revenue and rely heavily on federal allocations to survive.

“Turning every local government into a state is not the solution to Nigeria’s governance challenges.

“The real issue is not the number of states but the dysfunctional federal structure that has concentrated power at the center, stifling regional development.”

Reactions Trail Proposed New States Creation

Afenifere implored the National Assembly to pay utmost attention to constitutional reforms which would decentralize power, reinstate resource control to the regions and grant all states the power and autonomy to develop at will.

“Nigeria needs a system where states or regions control their resources and contribute an agreed percentage to the federal government, just as it was during the First Republic.

“This is the only path to sustainable development, not the reckless creation of more administrative units.

“Afenifere rejects this proposal and calls on well-meaning Nigerians to resist attempts to distract from the real conversation—restructuring and true federalism,” Omololu declared.

Arewa Consultative Forum Reject Proposal

The Arewa Consultative Forum also opposed the proposed bill seeking creation of additional 31 states, theming it “unnecessary.’

Ohanaeze Okay The Proposal

The supreme Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide backed the move and declared that creation of more states in the Southeast “the wrongs that had been done to the region on state creation.’’

Reactions Trail Proposed New States Creation

According to the statement issued by Ohanaeze’s National Publicity Secretary, Ezechi Chukwu: “It is unfortunate that such a bill is also aimed at suppressing the South-East as usual.

“It is completely unacceptable that Southeast should be appropriated only five states.

“South-East, all these while, is the only zone in the Federal Republic of Nigeria that has the least number of states irrespective of our population and our contributions both economically and infrastructural development of the nation.

“So, giving southeast such a small number of five states in this bill when others that already have advantages orchestrated by successive governments before now is quite unacceptable and unfortunately, it is above all antithetical to the commonwealth of the South-Easterners and the so-called equity we are preaching in the country.”

He added, “South-East deserves more states more than any other zone in the country because South-East is the only zone that has been short-changed over the years by successive governments, he added.

“So, if justice and equity should prevail southeast must be given the highest number of states.

“So, if the Federal Government fails to correct the wrongs that had been done to the South-East over the years, this is the time to at least give this equation some terms of balance by appropriating more number states to the South-East to make up with the other geopolitical zones.”

Reactions Trail Proposed New States Creation

Also, the Pan-Niger Delta Forum suggested that the creation of additional states would only be meaningful if all geo-political zones in Nigeria have equal number of states as agreed in the previous constitutional conference.

In the statement of the spokesman for PANDEF, Christopher Ominimimi, questioned that motive behind proposed creation of new states, noting that states should be created based on self-sustainability.

He cited that if the creation of more states is necessary, it should be achieved equally across all geo-political zones, with the North-West, with seven states.

If that is not achieved, it will pose a threat to justice and equity in the country.

He stated that more states are being proposed for creation to depend on oil and gas from Niger Delta region, with other states with mineral resources are permitted to sit on them−that is injustice.

“Well, it is the right of the people to call for the creation of states. However, the most important thing is that in the last constitutional conference, it was agreed that all the geopolitical zones should have seven states each as it is in the North-West, he stated.

“So, the South -East should have additional two states so that it would be seven states.

The South- West should have additional states to make it seven states.

“But the question we want to ask is ‘will the states be viable?’ Do they have the means of survival if the vision of our forefathers are kept to? Because the vision of our forefathers who fought for the independence of this country is that the various states should control their resources and pay tax to the center,” he added.

Reactions Trail Proposed New States Creation