War Over State Creation: Lawmakers Clash As 12-State Demand Shakes The Nation!

Nigerians Divided Over Demand for 12 New States as Senate Committee Holds Zonal Hearings

The renewed push for the creation of 12 additional states in Nigeria has triggered mixed reactions from stakeholders nationwide, with many urging caution, equity, and a critical assessment of the viability of such a major constitutional move.

According to iReporter Online, the Senate Committee on State Creation and Related Matters has been holding public hearings across the six geopolitical zones to gauge public sentiment and consider memoranda submitted by various ethnic and regional groups.

During these sessions, experts and concerned citizens have raised varying concerns. Professor Abubakar Oladeji of the Political and Governance Policy Department at the Nigerian Institute of Social and Economic Research (NISER) insisted that broad consultations must precede any decision on state creation. He warned that political expediency should not override viability and sustainability.

Oladeji criticized the idea of evenly distributing two new states per geopolitical zone. He said such a formula would still marginalize the South-East, which historically has fewer states. “Viability should be the deciding factor. We must ask ourselves: are the newly proposed states, or even existing ones, capable of surviving without monthly allocations from the federal purse?” he queried.

According to iReporter Online, another scholar, Professor Adams Onuka, an education evaluation expert and Ebira indigene from Kogi State, supported the idea of creating Okura State out of Kogi. He emphasized that while it may bring joy to marginalized communities, it could also spark new grievances and administrative complications. He pointed out the enormous cost implications, including an increase in senators, commissioners, and state bureaucracies.

Adding to the discourse, financial analyst Mr. Tunji Adepeju dismissed the entire process as speculative, arguing that no formal proposal had been tabled. He also highlighted the economic strain such a move would impose on Nigeria, especially in light of current fiscal challenges.

Obolo State Proposal Sparks Regional Tension

One of the most contentious proposals has been the call to create Obolo State from Akwa Ibom and part of Rivers State. At the zonal public hearing on constitutional amendments, Ngerebara Sampson Adumu, President-General of the Oro-Obolo Peoples’ Union, submitted a memorandum advocating for the carving out of Obolo State from seven local government areas in Akwa Ibom and one in Rivers.

However, according to iReporter Online, the proposal has faced stiff resistance from the Ibibio community in Cross River State. Sir Udo Bassey, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Ibibio Community, condemned the inclusion of Ibibio lands in the Obolo State proposal. He described it as misleading and unacceptable, asserting that Obolo State cannot be formed on Ibibio ancestral lands.

Dafinone Champions Ethiope State for the Urhobo Nation

Senator Ede Dafinone of Delta Central passionately advocated for the creation of Ethiope State from Delta State. Speaking at the House of Representatives public hearing in Yenagoa, he described the move as essential for the political and economic self-determination of the Urhobo people—the largest ethnic group in Delta and fifth-largest in Nigeria.

He highlighted the region’s vast oil, gas, maritime, and agricultural resources, asserting that a new state would not only safeguard Urhobo culture but also guarantee them full political representation. “This movement is about justice, equity, and a balanced federation,” Dafinone declared.

Stakeholders Revive Call for Ogoja State

Stakeholders from Northern Cross River have renewed their demand for the creation of Ogoja State, citing decades of marginalization. At the public hearing in Calabar, they argued that Ogoja is the only former province from the old Eastern Region yet to be granted statehood. They described the call as a constitutional right and moral obligation.

Former Attorney General of the Federation, Kanu Agabi, noted that minority groups originally pushed for state creation to address marginalization. However, he lamented that successive state proliferation had only deepened the suffering of these minorities. Agabi pointed to the lack of infrastructure, education, and basic amenities in the Ogoja region as evidence of neglect.

He said the demand for Ogoja State is a legitimate and constitutional exercise by citizens seeking to manage their own affairs. Other stakeholders—including Justice Eneji, Johnny Agim, and CP Lawrence Alobi (retd)—expressed frustration over being left behind for over 50 years. They urged the government to rectify this injustice through constitutional means.

Similarly, Solomon Ekam and Professor Achi Bekomsom stressed the importance of fairness and inclusion, citing the consistent cries of neglect from people in old Ogoja Province, including Yala, Ogoja, Bekwarra, Obudu, Obanliku, Boki, Ikom, and Etung.

As the debate over state creation continues to intensify, all eyes remain on the National Assembly to determine whether the voices of these aggrieved regions will translate into tangible structural reforms—or once again be lost in the dust of political compromise.

”IREPORTER REPORTS”