A bill seeking to create a new state in Nigeria’s South-West region, Ibadan State, has passed second reading in the House of Representatives.
Sponsored by Rep. Abass Adigun, who represents the Ibadan Northeast/Ibadan Southeast Federal Constituency, the bill proposes an amendment to the 1999 Constitution to carve Ibadan State out of the present-day Oyo State.
Leading the debate on the floor of the House on Thursday, Adigun argued that Ibadan, a former capital of the defunct Western Region, deserves statehood just as Kaduna and Enugu, former regional capitals, have since achieved.
“This bill represents a monumental step toward equitable development through federalism and fulfils the long-standing aspiration of the people of Ibadan,” Adigun said.
He emphasized that Ibadan possesses both the population and landmass to merit full state status.
In a comparison, he claimed that one local government area in Ibadan is larger than three combined LGAs in Bayelsa State, a remark that sparked objections.
Hon. Obuku Ofurji, representing Yenagoa/Opokuma Federal Constituency in Bayelsa, described the comparison as inaccurate and disrespectful, calling it irrelevant to the merits of the bill.
In response, Adigun issued an apology but stood by the factual basis of his claim.
The Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu, who presided over the session, referred the bill to the House Committee on Constitutional Review, which he chairs.
The National Assembly is currently in the process of amending the 1999 Constitution, with the review expected to be concluded by December 2025, according to Kalu.
Creating a new state in Nigeria is constitutionally complex and rarely achieved. Section 8(1) of the 1999 Constitution lays out stringent conditions:
- A request must be supported by two-thirds of elected representatives (Senate and House of Reps) and two-thirds of members of the State House of Assembly and local government councils in the affected area.
- A referendum must be held, approved by two-thirds of the population in the proposed area.
- The results must also be approved by a simple majority of all Nigerian states through their Houses of Assembly.
- Finally, a resolution must be passed by two-thirds of both chambers of the National Assembly.
No new state has been successfully created since Nigeria’s return to democratic rule in 1999, despite numerous attempts and agitations.
The Ibadan State bill adds to the increasing number of proposals for new states across Nigeria, including movements for Ijebu, Anioma, Etiti, Oil River, Adada among others.
