A former Senator representing Kaduna Central, Senator Shehu Sani, has criticised the proposal for the creation of an additional 31 states in Nigeria.
The proposal was made on Thursday by the House of Representatives Committee on the review of the 1999 Constitution.
Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Benjamin Kalu who presided over plenary on Thursday read a letter from the committee containing the proposed states.
Reacting to the development in a post on his X handle on Friday, Senator Sani said it is not only ironic but also comical.
The former lawmaker questioned why new states are needed when most of the existing states depend on allocation from the federal government to survive.
“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 cave out mini colonies for themselves,” he said.
States in Nigeria will increase to 67 if the proposal by the House of Representatives committee is approved.
See the proposed new states below:
NORTH-CENTRAL
1. BENUE ALA STATE from the present Benue State.
2. OKUN STATE from the present Kogi State
3. OKURA STATE from the present Kogi State
4. CONFLUENCE STATE from the present Kogi State
5. APA-AGBA STATE from Benue South Senatorial District
6. APA STATE from the present Benue State.
7. A 37th state, namely FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY, ABUJA
NORTH-EAST
8. AMANA STATE from the present Adamawa State.
9. KATAGUM STATE from the present Bauchi State.
10. SAVANNAH STATE from the present Borno State.
11.MURI STATE from the present Taraba State.
NORTH-WEST
12.NEW KADUNA STATE and GURARA STATE from the present Kaduna State.
13. TIGA STATE from the present Kano State.
14. KAINJI STATE from the present Kebbi State.
15. GHARI STATE from the present Kano State
SOUTH-EAST
16. ETITI STATE as the sixth (6th) state in the South East geopolitical zone.
17. ADADA STATE from the present Enugu State of Nigeria.
18. URASHI STATE as the sixth (6th) state in the South East geopolitical zone.
19. ORLU STATE from the South Eastern Region of Nigeria.
20. ABA STATE from the South Eastern Region of Nigeria.
SOUTH-SOUTH
21. OGOJA STATE from the present Cross River State.
22. WARRI STATE from the present Delta State.
23. BORI STATE from the present Rivers State
24. OBOLO STATE from the present Rivers and Akwa Ibom States.
SOUTH-WEST
25. TORU-EBE STATE from the present Delta, Edo, and Ondo States.
26. IBADAN STATE from the present Oyo State.
27. LAGOON STATE from the present Lagos State.
28. IJEBU STATE from the present Ogun State.
29. LAGOON STATE from the present Lagos State and Ogun State
30. IFE-IJESHA STATE from the present Oyo State.
31. OKE-OGUN from the present-day Ogun, Oyo, and Osun states.