The constitutional amendment process which started before the emergence of the 10th Assembly, has taken a speedy process since the beginning of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
The National Assembly appeared to be working towards making a significant change in particularly the creation of new states in the southern part of the country.
It should be recalled that there has been a constitutional amendment since the return of democracy in 1999, but the 10th assembly seems to be making moves for a big difference and setting big records with the agitation for creating new states.
Meanwhile, the federal government is also moving to set some records……that Nigerians will forever point to as President Tinubu’s legacies, such as the Lagos to Calabar coastal highway and the move for local government autonomy.
If all these could be achieved within one term, four years of Tinubu’s administration, then the tenth assembly and the president would have something to be remembered for…..because most of these things were last done by the military.
In recent times, seven (7) new states have been proposed at the National Assembly, both in the Senate and the House of Representatives from different part of the country.
Below are the proposed states:
1) Oke-Ogun state:
The proposed Oke-Ogun state will be carved out of the present Oyo state. It comprises 12 local government areas, which are: Olorunsogo, Irepo, Oorerelope, Ogbomosho North, Ogbomosho South, Saki-East, Saki-West, Atisbo, Itesiwaju, Iwajowa, Kajola, and Iseyin.
The bill for the creation of the Oke-Ogun, Ijebu and Ife-Ijesha states was sponsored by Honourable Oluwole Oke, a lawmaker representing the people of Obokun/Oriade federal constituency in Osun state, is the chairman of the House Committee on the Judiciary.
2) Ijebu state:
Ijebu state was also sponsored by Honourable Oke in the lower chamber like the Oke-Ogun state. As proposed, Ijebu state will be carved out of the present Ogun state. It comprises nine local government areas: Ijebu East, Ijebu North-East, Ijebu Ode, Ikenne, Odogbolu, Ogun Waterside, Remo North, Sagamu, and some parts of the Ogun state capital, Abeokuta (partially).
The proposed Ijebu state is situated in Southwestern Nigeria, bordering Lagos State to the west and Ondo state to the east. The region is known for its rich cultural heritage, historical significance, and economic importance.
3) Ife-Ijesha:
The Osun lawmaker also proposed Ife-Ijesha state, which would be carved out of the present Osun state. The proposed state comprises nine local government areas: Atakunmosa East, Atakunmosa West, Boluwaduro, Ife Central, Ife East, Ife North, Ife South, Ilesa East, and Ilesa West.
4) Adada state:
The Nigerian Senate has taken the first step by passing a bill for the first reading on July 2nd towards creating a new state, Adada. The bill, sponsored by Senator Okey Ezea, aims to amend the country’s constitution to create a new state from the existing Enugu North senatorial district.
The proposed Adada state would comprise six local government areas: Igbo-Eze North, Igbo-Eze South, Udenu, Nsukka, Igga, and Uzo-Uwani. Nsukka, a major urban centre in Enugu state, would serve as the new state’s capital.
5) Etiti state:
Etiti is another new state in the southeast region proposed on Tuesday, July 2nd which the first reading of the bill seeking to establish the new state has been done. It was sponsored by five lawmakers: Miriam Onuoha, Chinwe Nnabuife, Amobi Ogah, Anayo Onwuegbu, and Kama Nkemkama.
According to the bill, the proposed Etiti state will be carved out of the five southeast states, namely Ebonyi, Enugu, Anambra, Abia, and Imo.
Other proposed states will come from the southeast region of the country.
Other new states under proposal at the National Assembly are:
6) Orlu State
The proposed state will be carved out of athe present Imo State, Southeast region. It will have 28 local government areas
7) Anioma State
The state will also have nine local government areas.