By Favour Goodness
There have been agitations for the creation of more states in Nigeria and it looks like it is about to enter a new phase.
The agitators have been heard loud and clear as the Senate committee on constitution review has taken action.
The committee proposed that referendum be conducted for 20 new states by the Independent National Electoral Commission.
The Senate committee on constitution review has recommended that 20 new states be created.
The committee reached this decision after it considered various factors including the ability of civilian administration to create states.
Sources said that referendum may be conducted for no fewer than 20 states.
The committee has recommended state status for the FCT. The list of requests for new states is said to be quite long. They are:
ITAI State from Akwa Ibom
Katagum state from Bauchi
Okura state from Kogi East
Adada state from Enugu
Gurara state from Kaduna South
Ijebu State from Ogun
Ibadan state from Oyo
Tiga state from Kano
Ghari state from Kano
Amana state from Adamawa
Gongola state from Adamawa
Mambilla state from Taraba
Savannah state from Borno
Okun state from Kogi
Etiti state from the southeast zone
Orashi state from Imo and Anambra
Njaba from the present Imo state or the excision of Aba state from Abia
Anioma state from Delta
Torogbene and Oil River states, from Bayelsa, Delta and Rivers states
Bayajida state from parts of Katsina, Jigawa and Zamfara.
Meanwhile Gov. Hope Uzodinma of Imo state is one of the people advocating for an additional state for the southeast region.
According to him, the creation of a sixth state for the region will make the Igbo people very proud.
While geopolitical zones have at least six states, the southeast has five, Imo, Enugu, Ebonyi, Abia and Anambra.
The last time states were created in Nigeria was on Oct. 1, 1996, by the late military head of state, Gen. Sani Abacha.
The states created were Bayelsa, Ebonyi, Ekiti, Gombe, Nasarawa and Zamfara.
Northeast stakeholders demand creation of Savannah state.
With the ongoing 1999 constitution review, stakeholders from the northeast region have called for the creation of a new state.
The stakeholders said the creation of the new state would help curtail the various crisis and unrest bedevilling the nation.
According to the group, the call for the creation of Savannah state was made in 1991 alongside Yobe but was denied.
