Leaders from the South-West geopolitical zone have called for the creation of five additional states, more local government areas and constitutional roles for traditional rulers across the country.
The demands topped discussions at the South-West zonal public hearing on the proposed amendment of the 1999 Constitution, held on Friday in Lagos.
The Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, who represented the Deputy Senate President and Chairman of the Senate Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution, Jibrin Barau, listed the state creation proposals submitted by the South-West to include Ijebu State from Ogun, Coastal State from Ondo, Igbomina State from parts of Osun, Ekiti and Kwara, as well as Ibadan State and New Oyo State both from Oyo.
According to Bamidele, other proposals before the committee include: the listing of the 37 Local Council Development Areas created by the Lagos State Government in 2003 into the constitution as recognised local governments; excision of Orile Oko from Remo North LG into Obafemi-Owode LG of Ogun State; boundary adjustment of Isheri Olofin-Mole between Lagos and Ogun states; and renaming Irewole Local Government in Osun State as Ikire LG.
Bamidele added that the Senate had also received bills proposing constitutional roles for traditional rulers and reserved legislative seats for women at both the national and state levels.
He, however, noted that similar proposals on monarchs’ roles had failed in the past due to the inability of two-thirds of state Houses of Assembly to approve the amendment, as required by law.
“The last attempt during the ninth Senate nearly succeeded, but we could not get the needed endorsement from 24 out of the 36 state assemblies. Our royal fathers must intensify advocacy, particularly among Speakers and governors, to make progress.”
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