Senate Committee Did Not Propose Creation Of 20 New States

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THE upper chamber of the National Assembly has debunked media
reports that the Senate Committee for the Review of 1999
Constitution has proposed the creation of additional 20 states.

The Senate, in a press release by its Spokesperson Ajibola
Basiru, stated that the report was a gross misrepresentation of the
decision of the committee on the request for creation of more
states.

“Far from recommending the creation of any state, the Senate
Committee, while acknowledging receipts of several bills proposing
the creation of new states, decided that it is not in a position to
recommend or propose the creation of any state unless there is
compliance with the provisions of Section 8 of the 1999
Constitution of the Federal Republic as amended.”

Basiru said Section 8 of the Constitution already made it clear
on the position of the National Assembly in dealing with such a
responsibility.

He said the section stated that the creation of new state should
only be passed if a request for such was made by at least
two-thirds majority of members representing the area demanding the
new state.

He added that the constitution made the provision of the
two-thirds majority to cut across the Senate, House of
Representatives, House of Assembly and local government councils in
respect of the area in concerned.

“A proposal for the creation of the state is thereafter approved
in a referendum by at least two-thirds majority of the people of
the area where the demand for creation of the state originated.

“The result of the referendum is then approved by a simple
majority of all the states of the federation supported by a simple
majority of members of the houses of assembly

“And the proposal is approved by a resolution passed by a
two-thirds majority of members of each House of the National
Assembly.”

The spokesperson, however, submitted that the Senate committee
was not in a position to even propose the creation of any
state.

In view of the above, the Senate committee is not in a position
to propose the creation of any state as reported, he said.

“Rather the committee decided to refer the requests received to
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure
compliance with Section 8 of the Constitution by conducting a
referendum in the areas if the requests supported by at least
two-thirds majority of members representing the area demanding the
creation of the new state.”