Nigeria Content Online

With the electoral reform aspect of the
constitution review nearing conclusion, the Senate now wishes to begin
creating more states with its remaining year in office.

The Senate spokesman, Ayogu Eze,
disclosed the plan on Friday. He said the various requests for state
creation will be considered to prove that states can be created in a
democratic dispensation.

A test for democracy?

“As we come to the
conclusion of this first phase, we are already getting ready for the
next phase of the amendment of the constitution because there is a need
for us to prove that our democracy have come of age and that we can,
through mutual discussion, dialogue and debate, restructure the
political frame work of Nigeria in a manner that will be useful and
beneficial and satisfy the aspirations of Nigerians,” Mr. Ayogu said.

He added that the request for new states will be considered based on their merits and chances of survival without rancour.

“We will be guided
by the evidential parameters such as viability, ability of such a state
to promote unity and harmony if created, and promote the growth of the
Nigerian state,” he said. “We will stir away from any state creation
that will be rancourous. Those who want to request for state must
organise themselves properly and do it consensually and come up with
request that accord with the provisions of the constitution –
hopefully, as amended.”

Mr. Eze however
said the Senate is still undecided about the number of states to be
created and also yet to choose a particular criteria for determining
which state to create.

Three options

The Senate is,
however, considering three options; including creating the states to
balance the inequality in the number of states in the six geo-political
zones in which case only one state will be created in the south eastern
zone.

“There are
suggestions that say let every state stand on its merit rather than
equality of zones,” he said, revealing the second option.

The third that the six geo-political zones should be given equal number new states.

The Senate has
begun a two week break to mark the end of its third year in office but
the spokesman said they are willing to break the recess if there is any
urgent issue of national importance that demands their attention.

“If there is any urgent assignment requiring our attention, we will
not hesitate to come back. We’ve done it severally and we will do it
again,” he said.