The Senate on Sunday negated reports that the lawmakers have proposed the creation of 20 more states, stating that the upper chamber was “grossly” misrepresented.”
Ajibola Basiru, the spokesman for Senate on Sunday revealed in a statement that the report is a misunderstanding of the decision reached by the Senate Committee on the Review of the 1999 constitution.
“The report is a gross misrepresentation of the decision of the committee on the request for creation of more states,” the statement maintained.
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“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 proposed 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.”
Procedure for creating new states
According to the lawmaker representing Osun Central, Section 8 of the Nigerian Constitution clearly stipulates the procedures for the creation of additional states.
“In view of the above, the Senate Committee is not in a position to propose the creation of any state as reported,” he added.
“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) in the Senate, the House of Representatives and the House of Assembly in the area.”
The Senate purportedly reached the decision to respect “the genuine desire of Nigerians.”
