Request for the creation of Ijebu state out of the present Ogun state, has garnered the most support following an on air opinion poll, conducted by a grassroots Lagos based radio station , Miliki FM 101.3
Listeners of the station’s popular breakfast program, ‘Ojumo Ire’, were requested to name the most important of the Southwest requested new states, currently being deliberated upon by the National Assembly, following it’s relevant committe’s decision to create only one additional new state in the Southwest.
The Joint Committee of the Senate and House of Representatives on Constitution Review had earlier approved the creation of six additional states.
This was one of the key resolutions reached at the end of a two-day retreat, co-chaired by the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau I. Jibrin, and the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt—Hon. Benjamin Kalu, in Lagos.
The joint committee considered a total of 69 bills, 55 state creation requests, two boundary adjustments, and 278 local government creation requests during the retreat.
During the consideration of the 55 requests for state creation on Saturday, the joint committee unanimously resolved that six additional states be created in the country.
If it passes, it would increase the number of states in the country from 36 to 42.
The resolution reads as follows: creation of one additional state in each of the six geopolitical zones: North West, North East, North Central, South West, South South, and South East.
With the approval, South South will now have seven states, South West will have seven, South East will have six, North West will have eight, North East will have seven, and North Central will have seven.
The resolution will form part of the report of the joint committee that is expected to be presented to both chambers of the National Assembly in the first week of November.
The lawmakers also resolved to create a subcommittee to identify areas from which the six additional states will be carved.
The Chief Whip of the State, Senator Mohammed Tahir Monguno, chairs the Senate Committee to identify the areas.
A member of the subcommittee from North assured that the committee will review all 55 requests submitted to the National Assembly to develop the six new state proposals.
Reacting to the development, Miliki FM , requested it’s listeners to assist the work of the committee by suggesting which among the new states on request , Ijebu, Ibadan and Ife-Ijesha states should be created.
About 70% of the those who responded to the poll made Ijebu state their choice.
According to the respondents, carving Ijebu state out of the present Ogun state, will allow government give attention to the many neglected parts of the state which they claimed, successive governments have not been able to adequately cater for.
The respondents also maintained that, the Lagos axis of the present Ogun state would be able to get adequate attention, as they opined the state will become more manageable should Ijebu state be carved out of it.
Ibadan state came second at the poll while Ife- Ijesha came distant third.
