Senator Shehu Buba Umar of Bauchi South has denied rumours that twelve new states had been approved by the Senate. The assertions, in his view, were unfounded and unfounded.
Buba clarified to reporters in Bauchi over the weekend that the Senate has not yet decided on the creation of additional states or LGAs.
He explained that as part of their examination of the Constitution of 1999, the Senate has held public hearings around the nation to solicit feedback from the general population.
One of these proposals is the establishment of additional levels of government at the state and municipal levels.
The committees in charge of these hearings, he emphasised, have not yet delivered a final report to the National Assembly.
Buba made it plain that the parliamentarians have not convened to deliberate or authorise the establishment of any new municipal or state government, and that the Senate has not received any report either.
A bogus rumour had gone popular in Nigeria, claiming the approval of twelve additional states; the senator urged his countrymen to disregard the story.
A proposal to establish Katagum State from Bauchi was among the forty-six state creation proposals received by the Senate prior to the commencement of the hearings, he claims.
According to him, locals were worried and confused because Katagum wasn’t on the reported list. The report is entirely inaccurate, as Senator Buba emphasised.
The following incorrect claims were made by the bogus report, according to Naijatrial, regarding the six geopolitical zones:
Ondo, Edo, Delta, and Akwa Ibom: Ijebu and Ibadan from Ogun and Oyo, Anambra, Imo, and Enugu: Anim and Adada. Obolo and Toru-Ibe Savanna and Amana from Borno and Adamawa Kano and Kaduna: Kogi and Benuean: Gurara and Tiga Okura and Apa
Both Buba and Abdul Ningi, another Bauchi senator, have refuted the allegation, stating that the Senate has not sanctioned any additional states. Buba continued by restating his earlier demand for the establishment of more LGAs in Bauchi South.
He complained that the populations and landmasses of LGAs like as Toro, Alkaleri, and Bauchi are excessively big. His estimation puts Toro’s size as about that of an entire southern state.
He elaborated by saying that concrete suggestions have been made. Lame and Jama’a LGAs were proposed in Toro LGA. Numerous requests for the Galambi, Birshi, Zungur, and Bauchi Munsifa LGAs were received in the Bauchi LGA. Gwana and Yankari LGAs were proposed in Alkaleri. The Lere North, Lere South, and Bula LGAs were requested by Tafawa Balewa.
Additionally, he mentioned that a technical report, spearheaded by Hon. Ibrahim Umar, a former Minister of Justice, suggested numerous new federal wards.
The senator conceded that it is not easy to amend the constitution and establish new states or municipalities. The President, the courts, the Houses of Assembly of the states, and the National Assembly are all involved.
Given that Nigeria’s population has surpassed 250 million, particularly in the north, he said that additional local governments are necessary to bring the government closer to the people.