Penultimate Thursday, the Home of Representatives Committee on
Overview of the 1999 Structure tabled a proposal for the creation of 31 extra states within the nation. Have been the announcement made on a primary day of April, Nigerians would have dismissed it as an enormous joke. The extra states will deliver the overall variety of states to 67 if the proposal sails by means of.
Deputy Speaker of the Home of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, who presided over the plenary, learn a letter from the committee containing the proposed states. Within the report, all of the geo-political zones have been balkanised within the following order: The North-central zone – seven states; North-east zone – 5 states; North-west – 5 states; South-east – 5 states; South-south zone – 4 states and South-west zone – seven states.
In keeping with the 1999 Structure (as amended), a brand new state can solely be created if the next situations are met. Particularly, part 8 (1) (a) stipulates that a request, supported by not less than two-thirds majority of members (representing the realm demanding the creation of the brand new state) in every of the next, particularly, (i) the Senate and the Home of Representatives, (ii) the Home of Meeting in respect of the realm, and (iii) the native authorities councils in respect of the realm, is acquired by the Nationwide Meeting; a request for the state creation supported by not less than 66% of the individuals within the space the place the request comes from – the senatorial district and federal constituency; the native constituency or constituencies that the brand new state will likely be carved from; the native authorities areas that will likely be concerned within the creation of the brand new state is acquired in each arms of the Nationwide Meeting .
Part 8 (1) (b) additionally stipulates {that a} proposal for the creation of the state will likely be thereafter authorized in a referendum by not less than two-thirds majority of the individuals of the realm the place the demand for creation of the state originated. Such a request can solely be authorized in a vote within the space involved, with not less than 66% of the individuals within the space the place the request comes from. Part 8 (1) (c) additional stipulates that the results of the referendum is then authorized by a easy majority of all of the states of the federation supported by a easy majority of members of the Homes of Meeting; and the referendum should be authorized by not less than 19 states of the federation, in addition to not less than 51% of the members of the State Homes of Meeting. Part 8 (1) (d) states that the proposal should be authorized by a decision handed by two-thirds majority of members of every Home of the Nationwide Meeting. The referendum should even be authorized by a decision handed by not less than 66% of the members of each arms of the Nationwide Meeting.
From the aforementioned stringent situations stipulated within the structure, it’s crystal clear that the train shouldn’t be a stroll within the park, besides in the course of the navy period. The one state ever created in the course of the civilian regime was the Mid-West Area carved out of the outdated Western Area in 1963 when Nigeria turned a Republic, bringing the variety of the areas to 4.
Subsequently, the Gowon regime balakanised the nation into 12 states in 1967 as a coup de grace following Ojukwu’s declaration of the ill-fated Republic of Biafra made up of the outdated Japanese Area. Additional balkanisation was carried out on February 3, 1976 by the Murtala regime that introduced the quantity to 19. On September 23, 1987, the Babangida regime first created two states, Akwa Ibom and Katsina, and adopted up with 9 different states on August 27, 1991, bringing the overall quantity to 30. On October 1, 1996, Gen. Abacha created the final set of six states.
State creation is seen as a significant reorganisation coverage aimed toward selling unity in variety notably among the many numerous ethnic {groups} in a heterogeneous nation similar to Nigeria. It’s also aimed toward resolving boundary disputes and selling nationwide growth. Nevertheless, the mushrooming of states interprets to the multiplication of administrative businesses, notably the forms. The fixed improve within the variety of these sub-regional buildings, little question, has loads of penalties for his or her viability, effectiveness and even effectivity.
As a matter of truth, numerous the present states aren’t viable, bancrupt and can’t survive with out the standard month-to-month handouts from the federal authorities. A few of them weren’t purported to have been created within the first place. The challenges state multiplication pose within the face {of financial} asphyxiation at the moment bedeviling the nation are that the governance buildings which have ballooned past management, with some states unable to fulfill fundamental commitments wish to pay dwelling wages to their staff. The train will solely quantity to creating extra jobs for politicians and avenues for corrupt practices. The one zone, in our view, requiring an extra state is the South-east to make sure equity and fairness. There are extra challenges needing constitutional options than embarking on an train that can additional lead us right into a cul-de-sac. The proposal to extend the variety of states to 67 was not a well-thought thought as evidenced by the destructive reactions it has generated from a cross-section of Nigerian political and {economic} commentators and must be smothered at its inchoate stage.