STEPS FOR THE CREATION OF A NEW STATE IN NIGERIA  

 

STEP NO. 1

A constitutionally valid REQUEST for a new State must have been signed, authenticated or supported by two thirds of members representing the area demanding the creation of a new State in each of the following, namely-

– the Senate,

– the House of Representatives,

– the House of Assembly in respect of the area, and

– the local government councils in respect of the area.

 

This is the only constitutional REQUEST that must be received by the National Assembly. Receiving multiple and overlapping requests clearly shows that the Committee is on a frolic. Sad.

 

STEP NO. 2

TRANSMISSION OF PROPOSAL TO INEC

The National Assembly forwards or transmits the REQUEST as A PROPOSAL for the creation of a State to INEC to conduct a referendum.

 

STEP NO. 3

APPROVAL IN A REFERENDUM

The Proposal for the creation of a new State is considered to have received APPROVAL in a referendum if at least two-thirds majority of the people of the area where the demand for creation of the State originated is obtained.

 

STEP NO. 4

APPROVAL OF THE REFERENDUM RESULT

The referendum result shall be further subjected to another round of approval this time by a simple majority

of all the States of the Federation and supported

by a simple majority of members of the Houses of Assembly. The Constitution is not explicit on how the States are to give their approval before being supported by the House of Assembly. It is submitted that such approval will come from the executive branch of government of a State.

 

STEP NO. 5

APPROVAL BY THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

At this stage, the proposal has received

– the referendum approval

– ⁠State Executives approval

– ⁠State Houses of Assembly approval.

 

The final stage is for the proposal to be approved by a resolution passed by two-thirds majority of members of each House of the National Assembly.

 

No race, tribe or group of persons should take these provisions lightly. Until Section 8 is amended, going through the eye of a needle is easier than creating a new State. New States can only be created by serious pan-national, cross-regional, cross-ethnic, cross-tribal compromises.

About The Author