National Assembly to Create New State in Southwest, Details Emerge

• The House of Representatives has moved to divide Oyo state into two different states, such as Ibadan and Oyo
• Akeem Adeyemi and six other lawmakers are sponsoring the constitutional amendment bill, with the capital of Oyo in Oyo town and Ibadan in Ibadan city
• The move was part of the ongoing constitutional amendment and the second of its kind seeking to split the southwest state

The House of Representatives has made a significant move to alter Nigeria's state structure by passing a bill for a second reading that seeks to divide Oyo State into two distinct states.

The proposed bill, sponsored by Akeem Adeyemi and six other lawmakers, aims to create a new Oyo State with its capital in Oyo town while renaming the remaining part of the current Oyo State to Ibadan State, with Ibadan City as its capital.

Read also

Catastrophic flooding destroys key bridge linking over 50 Oyo communities

Speaker takes action on bill to split Oyo

Premium Times reported that the bill has passed its second reading without debate, as Speaker Abbas Tajudeen considered it "straightforward legislation." This development is not the first attempt to divide Oyo State, as previous bills seeking to create Oke-Ogun and Ibadan states failed to gain traction.

Interestingly, another bill sponsored by Oluwole Oke is currently underway, proposing the creation of Oke-Ogun State. Oyo State was initially formed from the former Western State on February 3, 1976, during General Murtala Mohammed's military regime. The state has undergone changes before, with Osun State being split off in 1991. The bill has been referred to the Committee on Constitutional Review for further legislative action.

Constitutional amendment: NA discusses state creations

Since the inauguration of the 10th National Assembly, several bills to create new states have been introduced in the ongoing constitutional amendment. The proposal for new states has cut across all regions, mostly in the southeast and southwest.

Read also

How to protect judiciary from manipulation, interference, Wike explains

If the moves were successful, it would be the first time in the history of the country that a new state was created during democracy.

State creation: Lawyer explains what should be done

Legit.ng earlier reported that the National Assembly's recent moves to create new states in the country may be the wrong step for Nigeria in the face of economic challenges.

Titilope Anifowoshe, a legal practitioner, in an interview with Legit.ng, posited that some states in Nigeria could not generate internal revenue and creating other states could mount more pressure on the federal government.

Anifowoshe then suggested that a new and working local government would bring government nearer to the people than creating new states.

Source: Legit.ng