By Cyprian Ajah

The Federal House of Representatives has taken a significant step towards creating additional states in Nigeria. During a plenary session, the Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu, read a letter requesting the creation of 31 new states.

According to the House, it received proposals for the creation of 31 new states across the six geo-political zones of the country. The letter outlined the conditions that must be met before any state could be created.

The proposed states include:

• 5 from the North Central region
• 4 from the North East region
• 5 from the North West region
• 5 from the South East region
• 4 from the South South region
• 7 from the South West region

Some of the proposed states are:

• Benue Ala and Apa from Benue State
• Okun-Okura Confluence State from Kogi State
• Amana from Adamawa State
• Katagum from Bauchi State
• Savannah from Borno State
• Muri from Taraba State
• New Kaduna state and Gujarat states from Kaduna state
• Tiga and Ari from Kano
• Kainji from Kebbi state
• Etiti, Orashi, Adada, Orlu and Aba from the South East
• Ogoja from Cross River
• Warri from Delta
• Ori and Obolo from Rivers
• Torumbe from Ondo
• Ibadan from Oyo
• Lagoon from Lagos
• Ogun
• Ijebu from Ogun
• Oke Ogun/Ijesha from Oyo/Ogun/Osun states

Kalu stated that any request for state creation must meet specific conditions.
“A request to the National Assembly for the purpose of creating a new state shall only be passed if a request supported by at least two-thirds majority of members of the Senate and the House of Representatives and the House of Assembly in respect of the area, and the Local Government Council in respect of the area, is received by the National Assembly.”