Shehu Sani, a former Senator for Kaduna Central, has raised concerns over the recent proposal to create 31 additional states in Nigeria, which would expand the current 36-state structure.
The proposal, which has sparked debates, was introduced by the House of Representatives Constitution Review Committee. The details of the plan were presented to the House on Thursday, during a plenary session led by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, in the absence of Speaker Tajudeen Abbas.
Taking to social media on Friday, Sani voiced his opposition to the proposal, calling it both “ironic and comical.” He suggested that the push for new states is driven by politicians eager to carve out “mini colonies” for themselves.
Sani also warned that Nigeria does not need additional states, pointing out that many of the existing states already rely heavily on federal allocations for their financial survival.
He wrote, “While many states are dependent on federal allocation for their survival, the House of Representatives proposal for 31 states is ironic and comical. Politicians just want to carve out mini colonies for themselves.”
The committee, chaired by Kalu, proposed an additional six new states in the North-Central, four in the North-East, five in the North-West, five in the South-South, and seven in the South-West.
The states being considered include Okun, Okura and Confluence from Kogi; Benue Ala and Apa from Benue; FCT State; Amana from Adamawa; Katagum from Bauchi; Savannah from Borno; Muri from Taraba; New Kaduna and Gujarat from Kaduna State; Tiga and Ari from Kano; Kainji from Kebbi; Etiti and Orashi as the sixth states in the South-East; Adada from Enugu; and Orlu and Aba.
Others are Ogoja from Cross River, Warri from Delta, Ori and Obolo from Rivers, Torumbe from Ondo, Ibadan from Oyo, Lagoon from Lagos, and Ogun, Ijebu from Ogun, and Oke Ogun/Ijesha from Oyo/Ogun/Osun States.
