A proposed bill to establish a coastal state from the existing Ondo State successfully passed its initial reading in the Senate on Wednesday. The bill, introduced by Jimoh Ibrahim, the senator for Ondo South Senatorial District, seeks a constitutional amendment to facilitate the formation of the coastal state from Ondo State.
Ibrahim advocated for creating the coastal state to promote accelerated development of the riverine communities in the Southern Senatorial District of Ondo State. The senator expressed his belief that the bill would progress smoothly through the second and third readings during the next gathering of the Upper Chamber.
This move is part of a growing number of proposals in the National Assembly to create new states across Nigeria.
Senator Kawu Suleiman Abdurrahman, representing the Kano South Senatorial District also presented a bill to create Tiga State from the present Kano State, likewise, a bill proposing the establishment of Anioma State in the South-East has also cleared its first reading, sponsored by Ned Nwoko, the Senator for Delta North. Nwoko’s proposal aims to amend three sections of the 1999 Constitution by substituting the word “36” with “37” to allow for the new state, as well as appending “Anioma” right after “Delta” in the enumeration of states.
The proposed Anioma State would encompass the local government areas of Aniocha North, Aniocha South, Ika North-East, Ika South, Ndokwa East, Ndokwa West, Oshimili North, Oshimili South, and Ukwuani, with Asaba identified as the state capital.
Moreover, in the Lower Chamber, five members from the South-East have introduced a bill for the creation of Etiti State, which will be carved out of the current Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo states. This bill seeks to modify Section 36 of the 1999 Constitution by changing the number of states from 36 to 37. The proposed state will consist of 11 local government areas from the five states, with the capital located in Lokpanta.
Additionally, a bill aimed at creating Orlu State from Imo, Abia, and Anambra states has also passed its initial reading in the Green Chamber. This bill is sponsored by Ikenga Ugochinyere, a representative for the Ideato North/Ideato South Federal Constituency in Imo State, along with others.
