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South-West demands five new states, constitutional roles for monarchs
Creation of additional five new states, constitutional roles for the traditional rulers as well as creation of additional local governments and listing of Local Council Development Areas created by the Lagos State government in 2003 into the constitution were among the top demands of the people of the South-West as moves are ongoing to amend the 1999 constitution.
This came to the fore on Friday at the South-West Zonal Public Hearing on the bills to further amend the 1999 constitution held in Lagos
The Deputy Senate President and Chairman Senate Committee on the review of the 1999 constitution , Jibrin Barawu, represented by Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, the Senate leader said, “The request of the people of the South-West before us include Bill for creation of Ijebu State from Ogun State, Bill for creation of Coastal State from Ondo as well as Igbomina State from the three states of Osun, Ekiti and Kwara, bill for creation of Ibadan State from Oyo State as well as New Oyo State also from Oyo State with state capital in Oyo.
“Others are bill for listing of created LCDAs into the constitution so as to be recognized as local government, bill for the excision of Orile Oko from Remo North Local Government into Obafemi-Owode Local Government of Ogun State, bill for boundary adjustment of Isheri Olofin Mole between Lagos and Ogun State as well as Bill to change Irewole Local Government in Osun State to Ikire.”
Barawu said that other demands that the 10th Senate is equally passionate about are constitutional roles for the traditional rulers as well as reserved seats for the women at both national and state assemblies.
He added that in as much as the national assembly has always in the past wanted roles for the traditional rulers to be included in the constitution, the amendment had always failed because of the refusal of the 2/3 of the state House of Assembly of the federation to support the passage of this bill as ordered by the constitution.
Barawu explained, “The last 1999 constitution amendment that we did during the 9th Senate, we almost got there, we almost succeeded with having constitutional roles for our traditional rulers but the law says that constitutional amendment required the approval of 2/3 of the state assemblies in our 36 States.
“That is where it got stalled but I want to advise that as traditional rulers, you have to do a lot of advocacy, you have to take your case to conference of Speakers of the state House of Assembly to get their support. You have to do a lot more too to talk to governors, present your case before the Governor’s Forum because that has always been where the challenge lies.”
Speaking on behalf of the traditional rulers, Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi said that the demand of the traditional rulers to be given constitutional roles is not because they want to be rubbing shoulders with the government but to rather complement government’s efforts and be on the same page in providing qualitative leadership for the people.
Oba Ogunwusi supported by other first class traditional rulers such as the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Owoade, Olowo of Owo Kingdom, Oba Ajibade Ogunoye, Ayangburen of Ikorodu, Oba Kabiru Shotobi, Dagburewe of Idowa, Oba Sikiru Okuribido who represented the Awujale of Ijebu land, Oba Kayode Adetona demanded that the ongoing constitutional amendment must put to rest the need for traditional institution to be given constitutional roles to enhance good governance in the country.
The royal father said that already the traditional rulers are doing a lot in terms of providing security, conflict resolution and general sociocultural and socio-economic development of the country saying that having constitutional backing will further help to do so much for the betterment of the country.
Speaking at the event, the governor of Lagos State, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu represented by his deputy, Dr Obafemi Hamzat lauded the gathering as it is providing the people of the Southwest the opportunity to have a fair say in the ongoing constitutional review.
Mr Sanwo-Olu however said that it will continue to amount to injustice if the 37 LCDAs created in the state in 2003 due to the growing population of the state is not included in the constitution and allow to be recognized just like other local governments in the country.
He explained that “For instance Alimosho Local Government with a population of almost same as Bayelsa State had to be broken into six LCDAs, even Kano with almost same population as Lagos State has 44 Local Governments, Jigawa with 27 local government was later created out of Kano State, yet Lagos is still expected to continue to have 20 Local Government.
“It is just fair and proper to have the LCDAs created about 22 years ago to be listed into the country’s constitution and be given due recognition just like other local governments across the country.”
In his address at the public hearing, the Speaker of Ekiti State House of Assembly who also doubles as the Chairman, South-West of Speakers, Adeoye Aribasoye described the constitutional review as long overdue.
Aribasoye stated that the lawmakers in the South-West are bothered about issues of Local Government autonomy, legislature autonomy as well as constitutional roles for the traditional rulers adding that his colleagues would do their best to support the passage of amendment of the constitution in these areas when the amended bill is sent to them.
Making presentation for the creation of Ijebu State from Ogun State, a former governor of the state and Senator representing Ogun East at the Senate, Otunba Gbenga Daniel said that the move was necessary to correct over a century injustice meted out to people of Ijebu land.
Daniel said that of all the provinces created by the colonial government over a 100 year ago such as Oyo, Sokoto, Ondo, among others only Ijebu Province has not been made a state.
The Senator said that Ijebu land did not only have vast land and population but also have lots of resources both human and materials and it is economically viable to drive its development.
He explained that just on Thursday, the Remo people who seemed to be traveling a different route have also agreed to support the call for the creation of the new state as long as their name and identity are reflected in the new state such.
They have therefore demanded that the new state should be called Ijebu Remo State just like Akwa-Ibom State.
There were also presentation for the creation of New Oyo State from Oyo State, Ibadan from Oyo State, Coastal State from Ondo State, Igbomina State from Osun, Ekiti and Kwara States as well as reserved seats for the women at both national and state assemblies.
As Nigeria prepares for the conduct of general elections to usher in fresh sets of political office holders across the country, President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has visited the Prayer Ground of St. Padre PIO, at St Giovanni Rotondo in Italy, to offer prayers to God for a peaceful 2027 elections and an end to banditry and terrorism in Nigeria.
Answering questions from St Padre PIO TV/ Radio in Italy, Akpabio said, ” we are all from Nigeria. We came to offer prayers and get blessings from God for ourselves, families and our dear country that is currently being ravaged by banditry and terrorism.
” We are here on this prayer ground and we are going home fulfilled, that we were able to touch this Holy ground, drop our intentions which he will take to God on our behalf”.
Akpabio described the ground as a holy one, noting that ” I am very impressed that the place has been well kept. This is a Holy ground. Some people who are here might not even understand the significance of this ground but those of us who are adherents and followers of PIO, believe in his intercessions.”
To further buttress his belief in the efficacy of the name; PIO, Akpabio went down memory lane on how St PIO intereceded for the miraculous healing of his wife, Mrs Unoma Akpabio, after she was 98 percent dead.
According to him, ” My wife was in a comma for six months in a hospital in Germany. She was 98 percent dead. I used the picture of PIO to make a sign of the cross on her, instead of putting-off the life- support machine she was on. She had an operation that went wrong. I cried to Mother Mary; the mother of Jesus Christ and called on PIO to interceed.
” Miraculously, she woke up. That hospital, uptill today, is yet to understand what happened. As someone who has experienced the powers in where I am standing, I can understand it more than anyone else”, he noted.
He stated further that,” this is my 10th time here. When my wife was finally discharged from the hospital, she waited for three months before she could remember my name and those of the children. We are here today, to give thanks to God and to thank PIO for always interceeding for us.
“We honored PIO by giving our son the baptismal name; PIO. We equally established a big academy which we called PIO Football Academy, where we train and offer scholarships to children of the poor from 9 years up to university level, all in memory of PIO. May his soul rest in perfect peace”.
*****Stakeholders, CSOs Call For Sack Of NAICOM Commissioner
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has widened its probe into the controversial insurance industry recapitalisation exercise, with invitation letters now being issued to other operators beyond the initial petitioners.
A letter dated 3rd September 2026 and addressed to the Managing Director of Linkage Assurance Plc, Mr Daniel Braie, at the company’s Abuja office, 29 Aswan Street, Wuse Zone 3, confirms the expansion.
Titled “Investigation activities letter of invitation – Re: capitalisation exercise in the insurance sector,” the correspondence from the EFCC’s Capital Market and Insurance Fraud Section requires Braie to report for an interview on Thursday, 24th September 2026.
The development comes amid growing pressure on Olusegun Ayo Omosehin, Commissioner for Insurance and Chief Executive Officer of the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM), to step aside.
Industry stakeholders and civil society organisations have intensified calls for his immediate suspension or sack, arguing that his continued presence in office while the investigation deepens compromises the integrity of the process.
“The EFCC’s decision to invite other industry players shows this is no longer limited to one or two companies,” a senior insurance executive who preferred anonymity said.
“When the anti-graft agency starts calling in Managing Directors across the sector for clarification on the same capitalisation exercise, it means the net is widening.
“The man at the helm of NAICOM cannot continue to sit pretty as if nothing is happening.”
Another stakeholder, a former senior official in the industry, stated: “The allegations of unlawful one per cent capital injection fees, forced full-capital escrow demands contrary to the law, and questionable consultant payments are serious.
“Expanding the investigation to other operators only strengthens the case for Omosehin to step aside immediately so that the probe can proceed without any perception of interference.”
Civil society groups have been more direct, demanding Omosehin’s removal to sanitise the regulatory agency.
“Keeping the NAICOM Commissioner in office while the EFCC expands its investigation into the recapitalisation exercise is unacceptable,” Salisu Mohammed of the Coalition for Good Governance in Nigeria said.
“We call for his immediate suspension by the Minister of Finance. The regulatory house must be cleaned for public confidence to return.”
Another CSO activist added: “This is about accountability. The moment the EFCC begins inviting Managing Directors of other insurance companies for interviews on the capitalisation process, the Commissioner who superintended that process should no longer remain in charge.
%Suspension is the minimum requirement to sanitise NAICOM and protect the integrity of the investigation.”
As the September 24 interview date approaches, pressure continues to mount on the Presidency and the Ministry of Finance to act decisively.
Stakeholders insist that only the temporary removal of Omosehin will allow a thorough, credible investigation capable of restoring trust in the insurance regulatory framework.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio has recounted the harrowing experience of watching his wife, Unoma, spend six months in a coma in a German hospital, saying he was convinced that only divine intervention could save her life.
Akpabio disclosed the experience during a visit to the Prayer Ground of St Padre Pio in St Giovanni Rotondo, Italy, where he said he had gone to give thanks for his wife’s recovery and pray for his family, Nigeria and the 2027 general elections.
According to a statement issued by his Special Assistant on Media, Jackson Udom, Akpabio said his wife was placed on life support after a medical procedure reportedly went wrong, leaving her in a critical condition.
“My wife was in a coma for six months in a hospital in Germany. She was 98 per cent dead,” Akpabio said.
The Senate President said doctors had little hope that she would recover as she remained on life support.
He recalled turning to prayer, seeking the intercession of the Virgin Mary and St Padre Pio while refusing to give up hope.
According to him, he used a picture of Padre Pio to make the sign of the cross over his wife while she remained on life support.
“Miraculously, she woke up. That hospital, to date, is yet to understand what happened,” he said.
Akpabio said the experience deepened his faith in the intercession of Padre Pio, explaining that his visit to the prayer ground was also a thanksgiving for what he described as his wife’s remarkable recovery.
“This is my 10th time here. When my wife was finally discharged from the hospital, she waited for three months before she could remember my name and those of the children,” he said.
Beyond his family’s experience, Akpabio used the visit to pray for Nigeria, particularly for an end to banditry, terrorism and other forms of insecurity affecting the country.
“We came to offer prayers and get blessings from God for ourselves, our families, and our dear country that is currently being ravaged by banditry and terrorism,” he said.
Describing the prayer ground as “Holy ground,” the Senate President said those who follow Padre Pio believe in his intercession.
He also disclosed that his family named one of their sons Pio in honour of the saint and established the Pio Football Academy, which he said provided training and scholarships to children from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Akpabio’s visit comes amid heightened political activities ahead of the 2027 general elections, even as insecurity remained one of the major concerns confronting the country.
The Senate President said his prayers at the site were focused on his family, Nigeria and the forthcoming elections.
Akpabio In Italy, Offers Prayers For End To Banditry, Terrorism In Nigeria
Fraud: EFCC Expands Insurance Recapitalisation Investigations To Industry
How God Brought My Wife Back After Six-Month Coma — Akpabio
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