Former Senator Slams Reps’ Proposal For 31 New States

A former Nigerian Ambassador to Kuwait, Senator Haruna Garba, has described the House of Representatives Constitution Review Committee’s proposal to create 31 additional states as “unbelievable” and unnecessary.

Garba’s reaction comes amid growing nationwide backlash following the House committee’s recommendation to increase Nigeria’s states from 36 to 67.

The proposal, which was read during Thursday’s plenary session by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, has sparked outrage among prominent Nigerians, political analysts, and socio-political groups.

As previously reported by Naija News, the House of Representatives Constitution Review Committee’s plan has been met with skepticism, with many questioning its economic viability and political motives.

Garba, who represented Gombe North in the Senate in an interview Punch, said, “The number is unbelievable, how can you talk about 30 more states. What are we turning ourselves into? What kind of democracy are we talking about? The number is too much. The number is unacceptable.

“Can we afford the paraphernalia of 31 more states? Where do we get the resources to take care of 67 states? What we should do is to give every zone one more each to amount to 42 more states, 67 is too much, we are not serious.”

Also, a former Senator representing Ondo South Senatorial District, Nicholas Tofowomo, condemned the proposal of the Reps.

Tofowomo, who was in the Senate between 2019 and 2023, described the proposal of the lawmakers as useless, saying the country should focus more on the development of local government areas, rather than states creation.

He added that many of the present states were not economically viable.

He said, “The viability of states in Nigeria should be a pressing concern to the lawmakers, not creation of states. Currently, many states rely heavily on federal allocations, which raise questions about their economic independence. There is the need to reform local governments, which are closest to the people, rather than creating more states.

“In Nigeria, there are 774 local governments, which are struggling to deliver basic services. The 1976 Local Government Reforms aimed to the “basket of Nigeria” due to their rich agricultural land. However, even these states face challenges in terms of infrastructure and economic development. Rather than creating more states, the focus addresses these challenges, but more needs to be done.

“Some states, like Benue, have been dubbed should be on strengthening local governments and giving them more responsibilities, especially in agriculture.

“Ultimately, Nigeria needs to rethink its approach to governance and economic development. By empowering local governments and promoting agricultural production, the country can move towards a more sustainable and equitable future.”