By Musa A. Kazaure
This proposed Bill which seeks to increase the current number of 36 States and FCT to 42 States, in total (proposing 7 States per each of the 6 unofficial Zones of the Federation) raises many unanswered questions! Firstly, this Bill does not seem to emanate from the Executive Branch then under Buhari given its year of drafting-2021 nor from a Member/Members of the Legislative Branch!
Secondly, it is being presented to Nigerians in a cowardly and deceptive manner, after all agitating for State Creation in disguise is certainly not the priority of the present Government given the enormous economic and security challenges the Nation is facing.
Thirdly, the so-called Bill is going to be dead on arrival, as it portrays the views of some overzealous Southerners who are determined to weaken and sidelined the North politically and economically! Why is that, the so-called Bill fails to propose additional States in the Northwest Zone?
Also historically, Kwara State was never part of the Western Region nor the Present South West! So why pushing it to the South West on a platter of gold? Who is trying to bury history? Lest it is forgotten Ilorin and all its environs were seized by the Fulani Jihad from the crumbling Old Oyo Empire at the beginning of the 19th Century, hence becomes the southern flank of the Sokoto Caliphate, with its first Emir amongst the Flag bearers of Sheikh Usman Danfodio.
Therefore Ilorin has been and would remain part of the Sokoto Caliphate/North and at worst to be part of the North Central Zone! Fourthly Constitutional Amendments, especially the type being proposed, that involves total restructuring of the Nation into a loose Federation/fiscal federalism would not be easy and indeed too cumbersome!
Apart from the possible concurrence of the Senate and the House of Representatives, Two Thirds of the State Legislatures in the Country must concur before it could have the force of Law! We live to see!
Musa Kazaure, was a former Member of the 1988/89 Constituent Assembly and a Member of NTWG of Vision 2020.
