Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games gold medallist and President of the Professional Footballers Association of Nigeria, Tijani Babangida, was on Thursday involved in a car accident that claimed the life of his younger brother Ibrahim Babangida, The PUNCH has learnt.

Former teammate, Emmanuel Babayaro, the General Secretary, PFAN, announced the incident in a statement.

Though the details of the accident remained sketchy as of the time of filing this report, our correspondent learnt that the accident happened along the Kaduna-Zaria Road.

“Comrades! Let us be in prayers for our president, Tijani Babangida, who just had a ghastly motor accident along the Kaduna-Zaria Eoad.

“Ibrahim Babangida, his younger brother, died on the spot from the accident while Mr President (Babangida) and his family were taken to the hospital.

“May the soul of Ibrahim Babangida Rest In Peace with God, amen,” he announced.

When our correspondent reached out to Babayaro, he confirmed the incident.

“Yes, it is true. The accident happened while they were on their way to Zaria from Kaduna,” he said.

“His brother Babangida died on the spot from the accident. The accident happened today (Thursday) this afternoon and his wife was also involved in the accident.

“He is currently admitted at Shika Hospital in Zaria, where he is receiving treatment and to the glory of God he is conscious,” he added.

The late Ibrahim, 47, a retired footballer himself, was a member of the 1993 FIFA U-17 World Cup-winning Golden Eagles squad in Japan.

He featured for local sides Bank of The North, Stationery Stores and Katsina United on the domestic scene before joining Dutch side Volendam in 1997.

A federal high court in Abuja has adjourned a suit filed by Olu Agunloye, a former minister of power and steel, against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) until June 24 for a hearing.

Emeka Nwite, the presiding judge, fixed the date after Jedidiah Akpata, lawyer to Agunloye, sought an adjournment to enable parties in the suit to regularise their processes.

Akpata, who held the brief of Adeola Adedipe, lead counsel to the applicant, told the court that they were yet to respond to the defendants’ counter-affidavits.

Mercy Akeredolu, counsel representing the attorney-general of the federation (AGF), said the death of a lawyer who was supposed to handle the case, caused the delay in filing their processes.

M.K. Hussein, who appeared for the EFCC, did not oppose the application for adjournment.

The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/167/2024 has the AGF as the second defendant.

Agunloye submitted that the EFCC declared him wanted without any form of judicial intervention, recourse to constitutional safeguards or order of court.

The former minister is asking the court to order the EFCC to remove his name from the wanted list published on the commission’s official website or any other related platform.

He also wants the court to issue an order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendants from further declaring him wanted concerning the Mambilla hydropower contract except ” by a judicial intervention and recourse to all constitutional safeguards available to him in law and equity”.

Agunloye is seeking N1 billion as “general damages”.

The EFCC is prosecuting Agunloye over a $6 billion Mambilla hydropower contract.

He was arraigned on a seven-count charge bordering on fraudulent contract award and official corruption.

The anti-graft agency said it has traced some suspicious payments made by Sunrise Power and Transmission Ltd to Agunloye’s bank accounts.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo also challenged Agunloye to tell Nigerians where he derived the authority to award a $6 billion contract to Sunrise for the Mambilla hydropower project in 2003.

[TheCable]

Pursuant to the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention etc) Act 2015 amended in 2024, a levy amounting to 0.5 per cent of the value of all electronic transactions shall be collected and remitted to the National Cybersecurity Fund overseen by the Office of the National Security Adviser.

Even though the said levy of 00.0 5 per cent is payable by the businesses listed in the second schedule to the principal Act, the Central Bank of Nigeria has wrongly directed all financial institutions to apply the levy at the point of electronic transfer origination and that the amount is to be explicitly noted in customer accounts under the description “Cybersecurity Levy” and remitted by the financial institution. The circular issued by the Central Bank has given the very erroneous impression that the levy is payable by individual customers.

The erroneous interpretation might have arisen from the substitution of "businesses" for "business" in the amendment. For the avoidance of doubt, by virtue of section 42(a) of the Cybercrime Act 2025 as amended, the businesses which are required to pay the levy are:

a. GSM Service providers and all telecommunications companies;
b. Internet Service Providers;
c. Banks and other Financial Institutions;
d. Insurance Companies;
e. Nigerian Stock Exchange.

In view of the foregoing, the Central Bank of Nigeria should be directed to withdraw its Circular of 6th of May, 2024 forthwith as it has wrongly interpreted the provisions of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act 2024. The CBN should also apologise to Nigerians for the misleading interpretation of the clear and unambiguous provisions of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act 2024.

Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Ondo State’s Reaction to Practice Direction No. 1, Vol 1 Of 2024 Of the Ondo State Judiciary

INTRODUCTION

The Honourable Justice Ademola Enikuomehin of the Ondo State High Court, Owo Judicial Division on the 14th of March, 2023, handed down a judgement in Suit No: HOW/66/2022(ALHAJI RASHEED OLANREWAJU KAZEEM V. THE HONOURABLE CHIEF JUDGE OF ONDO STATE & OTHERS) and after a thorough perusal of the judgement, with deliberate considerations of Sections 86 and 87 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Ondo State, 2015,and Section 35 of the High Court Law of Ondo State, 2006 , the Chief Judge of Ondo State of Nigeria; Honourable Justice Aiyedun Olusegun Odusola, on the 7th of May, 2024, caused to be issued in Practice Direction No. 1, Vol 1 of 2024, a Practice Direction directing; that all criminal cases be commenced, tried and completed by a Court having jurisdiction in the division or district where the offence was committed; that all pending criminal cases in trial which had yet to reach the defence stage be reverted to such division or district where the offence was committed and such criminal matters commenced afresh; and that all prior Practice Directions, Circulars, Orders or any other administrative instructions against the directives were thereby repealed.

The Ondo State Government under the stewardship of the Executive Governor His Excellency, Honourable Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa unfurled an eight point reformative agenda of the Office of the Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice Ondo State wherein obeisance to court order and law is given utmost compliance. The Ondo State Government herewith adheres with Practice Direction No. 1, Vol 1 of 2024, to its fullest extent as it will always continue to do.

The Office of the Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice Ondo State salutes the judgment of the Ondo State High Court, and the judicial directives of the Chief Judge of OndoState in Pratice Direction No. 1, Vol 1 of 2024, and also assures the Ondo State Judiciary of continuous synergy and partnership with the State executive arm of government.

The Practice Direction will restore balance to the criminal jurisdiction across all judicial divisions and magisterial districts in the State, ensuring the jurisprudential development of the Bar and Bench across the State as compared to when the criminal jurisdiction over felonies and capital offences was centralized to the State capital, Akure.

Furthermore, the new directives will reduce the risk of transporting awaiting trial persons and defendants in criminal matters held in our State Correctional facilities across the State to and from the State capital, and also lessen the financial burden on the transportation, personnel, surveillance and armed escort expenditure of the State Correctional facilities. The witness transport expenditure of the Ondo State Judiciary as provided for under the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Ondo State, 2015, will also be prudentially managed as the courts will receive fewer requests from witnesses from outside its jurisdiction.

The Office of the Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice reassures the citizenry of Ondo State that the Ondo State Ministry of Justice will continue to meet up its duties in prosecution of criminal matters regardless of the location of the court across the criminal divisions and districts in the State, and that the Ondo State Government will pay rapt attention and facilitate the speedy infrastructural development of court facilities and across the State.

Dated Thursday, the 9th Day of May, 2024

E-signed
Dr. Olukayode Ajulo, SAN, OON
Honourable Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice, Ondo State

There are probably more books on how to sell everything than there is sand by the seashore. I have read a few myself and might say that when it comes to selling, even though what you have read might help, nothing teaches like what you learn by doing it. 

For some, selling feels natural. I cannot remember how many times I have bought stuff that I really didn’t need because the seller made me feel like they were offering the moon on a stick. Good for those who have such skills but when it comes to selling, I’m far from a natural. I overthink, over-analyse and take failure to deliver rather personal – all perfect signs of a poor salesman.

Even after giving it my best shot, I linger on the matter, beating myself over the head about how I might have done better. That was probably why my first book, The trial of Nuhu Ribadu: A riveting story of Nigeria’s anti-Corruption war was not a commercial success, even though I closed it believing that recording that important phase of Nigeria’s life was more important than commercial success.

When I set out to write my second book, however, a couple of things had changed. Not the textbook principles – place, product, promotions, price or physical presence. Sixteen years ago, when that first book was released, the Internet and social media were in their infancy. That has changed. 

And just as important, I cannot be thinking of writing a book about monetising content, without thinking about how the book will reward my effort. If that was ever going to happen, I needed to be intentional – and even if I fail, fail intentionally. 

Being intentional meant digging a bit more beforehand to find the best combination of theory and practice. Given that social media was going to play a vital role in the effort, a digital migrant like me also needed to immerse a bit more in the cauldron where for many years I was more than happy to have just one toe in.

A closet group of experts – Adeyeye Joseph, Freeman Oloruntoba, Emeke Ishiekwene, Wilson Onwuka, Sam Ossai and Ololade Bamidele – prepped me for weeks on the perils and promises of riding a digital highway riddled with avatars and the armours I must always remember. On this road, it’s not enough to look left, right and left again, as your mother taught you. Timing, form, medium and message are just as important. Plus remembering all the time that the vocabulary in your standard English dictionary may have gone stale!

I must also share something from an article by Kevin Kelly updated in Tim Ferriss’ book, Tools of Titans. Kelly’s principle of 1,000 true fans says that a true fan is someone who will buy anything and everything you produce. This rule of true fans says that to be a successful creator, you don’t need millions. Not millions of dollars or millions of clients or millions of customers.

If you’re happy to make a living, and not a fortune, you need just 1k true fans who will climb any mountain, cross any river, and jump any hurdle to buy a minimum quantity of what you have produced over a period of time. With the over 3k contacts on my phone, I had to decide who among them would be superfans. 

But a part of me also kept going to Stephen King. I don’t know what it was, whether it was genius or serendipity. But when he made his break there was neither Facebook nor X. There was no Instagram or LinkedIn. He was, quite frankly, an unknown; a man of promise and a good husband no doubt, but nevertheless an unknown part-time teacher and writer, hoping for a break someday. He didn’t have a community outside his family of his wife and three children, never mind a fanbase of 1k.

And then he produced Carrie, a book he totally didn’t expect much from when he mailed the manuscript to Doubleday, his publisher, that later passed the paperback rights to Signet Books. He was in his kitchen one day, long after the manuscript had been sent when he got a call from Doubleday that nearly knocked him off his chair. The book, which he would have been delirious to get only $30k from, had just fetched him $400k!

Don’t ask me what that was. Genius, serendipity or a good mix of both. But there you have it! No true fans, no social media, no promotions. Yet, boom! It happened.

You’re right. You don’t get a King every time. And so, I took my fate in my own hands hoping to put into play in the sale of Writing for Media and Monetising It, everything I have learnt about selling from selling charcoal for my mother many years ago to selling newspapers for the past over 35 years when I’ve been a journalist.

My experience in the past three weeks since Premium Times Books released my book has been funny, thrilling, with not a few surprises – and yet these are early days. Last week, I shared the concerns of one of the journalism’s icons and publisher of Vanguard, Sam Amuka, fondly called Uncle Sam, about how to get people to read the book. 

Not an easy one but I’m hoping that sharing how folks can be rewarded – in a clear, relatable way – while they’re doing what they enjoy doing, might interest more than a few regular folks enough to read. I hope I’m right.

If social media feedback were convertible – and there have been quite a number of heartfelt ones – then King might well be prepared for a good chase. Are you laughing, as I suspect?

But seriously, there have also been a few rather curious feedback. One fan – I’m not sure whether to classify him as super or lightweight – sent a message congratulating me profusely for the book. I was naturally hoping the next thing he would ask was how or where he would buy a copy, to which I would have directed him to: www.azu.media. But no. He simply said, “Great one, Azu. Send me a copy!”

That put me on the spot, but not for long. After mulling how to respond, I said, “Thank you, Sir.” To which he responded with the meme of hands clasped in prayer. End of story!

Another one was more social. Amidst a video thread of greetings and wishes for commercial success, this fan simply said, “My own na you look good…brains plus charms…hmm.” To which I responded with the meme of hands clasped in prayers. Or what?

I know it’s still a long road to June 26 when the book will be publicly presented, but with fans like Brains Plus Charms, you’d better not rule out a Carrie story. Writing for Media and Monetising It, may not be a work of fiction like King’s Carrie, but it was invested with no less heart, passion and planning. The rest, perhaps, is a matter of luck!

The Lagos State Government has launched an Electronic Physical Planning Permit System, which enables building approvals to be obtained within just 10 minutes.

Dr. Olajide Babatunde, Special Adviser on e-GIS and Urban Development, LASG, made this announcement during a ministerial press briefing in Ikeja on Wednesday.

This is coming at a time when the Lagos State government is facing a lot of criticism for the way it has been handling the demolition of buildings and shanties across the state.

According to Babatunde, this initiative would ensure a seamless and efficient process for stakeholders.

“The Lagos State Government is poised to revolutionise the planning approval process with the introduction of an Electronic Physical Planning Permit Process System.

“The innovative system will enable building approval to be obtained in just ten minutes, ensuring a seamless and efficient process for stakeholders,” he said.

Backstory

Recall in 2016, the Lagos State Government inaugurated e-GIS project  with which Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu outlined a strategic plan for its implementation in 2021.

Subsequently, the e-GIS Office (LAGIS) was entrusted with overseeing the project, aiming to create a comprehensive digital platform for land administration and geographic information services.

Meanwhile, in Dec. 4, 2023, the bill to establish the Lagos Geographic Information Service (LAGIS) was presented to the Lagos State House of Assembly.

Dr. Olajide Babatunde, the Special Adviser on e-GIS and Urban Development, explained that the e-GIS Office has fully assumed responsibility for supervising and managing the Lagos enterprise GIS upgrade and integrated land administration project.

He said that the processes led to the passage of its bill by the Lagos State House of Assembly.

“To ensure a smooth implementation process, stakeholders and the public will be engaged through a series of retreats and sensitisation programmes.

“This will foster a better understanding of the importance of the bill and the benefits of the Electronic Physical Planning Process System.

“With this innovative system, Lagos State is poised to become a leader in digital governance and efficient urban planning,” he added.

What you should know

In a recent interview on Monday, the Lagos State Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr Oluyinka Olumide,  reported that 80% of buildings around the Ibeju Lekki and Epe corridor do not have government approval.

• Olumide said despite the rigorous procedures involved in securing government approval, property developers and owners are still circumventing due process.
• The government also mentioned that it is mandatory for property owners or developers to obtain the required planning permit before going ahead with their projects or conversion of properties.
• The Lagos State government also emphasized that all structures or buildings that do not have the necessary building permits will be demolished.

[Nairametrics]

Last week, some highly respected and eminent Nigerians wrote an open letter to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu cautioning against accepting an alleged offer from two superpowers – France and the United States of America to establish military bases in Nigeria. They wrote the letter based on a plausible rumour that these two powerful nations who have been expelled from Mali and Niger are desperately trying to have a foothold on another country in West Africa to host their military bases. Ostensibly, these military bases are veiled efforts to promote and protect their interests couched in the name of helping to fight violent extremists such as Boko Haram, ISWAP and Al Qaeda. However, a few days ago, the Minister for Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, publicly stated that Nigeria is not considering any such offer by these countries to establish military bases in Nigeria. 

Nonetheless, I commend the patriotic zeal of these eminent Nigerians for drawing our attention to this issue and the Federal Government for allaying their concerns. 

Undoubtedly, Nigeria’s strategic location, economic prowess, and regional leadership positioned it as a prime candidate for such an unprecedented “foreign military cooperation.” Following their expulsion from Mali and Niger, the strategic allure of Nigeria for French and American military bases is not surprising, as numerous factors render Nigeria an enticing location for such installations. Positioned along the Gulf of Guinea, Nigeria offers access to crucial shipping routes and abundant resources, cementing its role as a linchpin in regional and global security dynamics. 

As Africa’s most populous nation and a significant economic force, Nigeria exerts substantial influence within West Africa and beyond. Establishing military bases in Nigeria would present an opportunity for these foreign powers to extend their reach across the continent. Moreover, France and the US may be motivated by a desire to counterbalance the growing presence of China and Russia in Africa. Ultimately, the consideration of Nigeria as a host for foreign military bases underscores the imperative of securing strategic footholds in an increasingly pivotal geopolitical arena by these two nations. By capitalizing on Nigeria’s geopolitical significance and geographic positioning, they seek to consolidate their influence and protect their interests amid intensifying global competition and fight against terrorism. Therefore, the fear and concerns of these eminent Nigerians are quite understandable. 

Moreover, in line with its Foreign Policy objectives, Nigeria has always opposed such bases on any African country let alone on its very soil. However, the realities of today’s circumstances are quite different. The country is facing an existential threat from secessionists agitations, Boko Haram terrorist groups, bandits and kidnappers which require collaboration with and support from other countries such as its neighbours, as well as those developed countries such as France, the United Kingdom, the United States of America and Russia, amongst others. 

In this light, it is important to critically examine the pros and cons of such an agreement to understand whether these fears are justified or not. First, we look at the merits of such establishments. No doubt having such military bases with their drone technology, training and other logistics support would enhance our national security and international collaboration and cooperation, more so as Nigeria is facing significant security challenges from various threats such as banditry, kidnapping, insurgency, and terrorism. Therefore, further collaboration with foreign powers like the US and France could provide advanced military technology, intelligence sharing, and training support to Nigerian forces. 

This collaboration could strengthen Nigeria’s ability to combat these security threats effectively. Such an agreement would also promote strategic partnership. By establishing foreign military bases in Nigeria, it can strengthen strategic partnerships with countries like the US and France. This partnership can contribute to regional stability and security, which is crucial for economic development and political stability in Nigeria and the broader West African region.

The establishments would serve as deterrence to adversaries. A foreign military presence can serve as a deterrent to potential aggressors and adversaries, signalling a commitment to defend Nigerian sovereignty and territorial integrity. This deterrence factor may discourage hostile actions by non-state actors or neighbouring countries that pose security threats to Nigeria. However lofty the advantages of having military bases in Nigeria are, there are also cogent arguments against the establishment of foreign military bases in the country. 

The first is sovereignty concerns. Hosting foreign military bases raises concerns about the sovereignty and national autonomy of our great nation, as allowing foreign military presence on Nigerian soil could compromise the country’s ability to make independent decisions on security matters and could lead to undue influence by external powers in domestic affairs. Usually, such countries often demand special treatment for their personnel, a kind of being above the local laws and even international humanitarian laws. 

This is more so because Western countries would always prioritise their interest whenever there are contentious issues or conflicts of interest. The flaunting of Leahy Law against Nigeria by the Obama administration on the unsubstantiated allegations of human rights abuses, thus denying it the much-needed weapons in the heat of its counterinsurgency efforts during previous administrations was quite instructive. Additionally, they will also use their surveillance technology to their advantage, which could be against Nigeria’s national interest. 

There is also the issue of regional dynamics where Nigeria has historically positioned itself as a leader in Africa and has been cautious about allowing foreign military bases on its territory. Some are concerned that hosting such bases could disrupt regional dynamics and trigger tensions with neighbouring countries, especially if they perceive the presence of foreign troops as a threat to their sovereignty or interests. This is more so as Russia is gradually getting a foothold on countries run by military junta in West Africa such as Burkina Faso, Mali and Nigeria’s northern neighbour, Niger. Any hosting of foreign military bases could be perceived as a re-enactment of Cold War era tensions where the country will be a battleground for supremacy between the superpowers. 

There are arguments for alternative solutions to address Nigeria’s security challenges without resorting to hosting foreign military bases. These solutions may include strengthening domestic security institutions, improving governance and socioeconomic conditions of the citizenry, and fostering regional cooperation through initiatives like the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Union (AU). Moreover, most of the security challenges border on a lack of good governance. Therefore, the solutions are also local. Ultimately, any decision regarding establishing foreign military bases should be made with a comprehensive understanding of the potential risks and benefits, and it should prioritise the protection of Nigeria’s sovereignty and national interests. 

There is no doubt therefore, that Nigeria faces significant security challenges, ranging from banditry and kidnappings to Boko Haram’s insurgency and secessionist agitations, among others. The question of whether to host foreign military bases to address these threats is a complex one, with strong arguments on both sides. The pressure from these two foreign powers is quite obvious. 

However, while the allure of foreign support to combat security threats is understandable, hosting foreign military bases presents a risk to Nigeria’s sovereignty and may not effectively address the root causes of insecurity in the country. Rather, Nigeria should focus on addressing socio-economic factors that contribute to the root causes of our security challenges by enhancing good governance and strengthening its policing system. It should also enhance military capabilities and foster regional cooperation for intelligence sharing and joint operations. By investing in its security, Nigeria can safeguard its territory, protect its people, and chart its course for a more secure future without any foreign military base on its soil.

. Brigadier General Usman (retd), mni fnipr fapra FIOARM fspsp, the Sarkin Yakin Kanwan Katsina, is a public affairs commentator, public relations and security consultant. He can be reached on his X handle, and Facebook page, skusman.

The newly-elected Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Hon. Victor Oko Jumbo has said his election into office is legal and constitutional.

Recall that the lawmaker representing Bonny Constituency was elected at 10 am during plenary on Wednesday in line with the Standing Order of the House.

He was said to have taken the oath of office as the factional Speaker of the Assembly following his election by two lawmakers loyal to Governor Siminalayi Fubara.

Jumbo was led to the plenary with the original mace of the Rivers State House of Assembly by the Sergeant-at-Arms, David Wariboko, who managed the last sitting of the Martin Amaewhule-led Assembly in the same position.

In his acceptance speech, Oko-Jumbo thanked the members for electing him as the new Speaker sequel to the resignation of the former Speaker, Edison Ehie.

He called on the Executive and the Judiciary, as well as the public to disregard every law purportedly enacted by the Amaewhule-led Assembly, describing it as an exercise in futility.

He said: “You will agree with me that after the House last sat on the 13th of December, 2023, and adjourned sine dine, there has been an avalanche of legislative rascality perpetrated by the 25 former members of the 10th Rivers State House of Assembly, led by the former Speaker, Rt. Hon. Martin Chike Amaewhule.

“These former members, being fully aware of the provisions of Section 109(1)(g) of the CFRN 1999, defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Party (APC) on the 11th of December, 2023.

“Consequently, the Rt. Hon. Edison Ogerenye Ehie-led Assembly, on the 13th of December, 2023, wrote to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), declaring the seats of the 25 lawmakers vacant in line with Section 109(1)(g) and (2) of the CFRN 1999.

“My distinguished colleagues, there are a plethora of cases pending in our courts further to the defection of the former lawmakers.

“All laws, plenary sessions and actions taken by the illegal House members are hereby declared void and a nullity in the eyes of the law by virtue of the judgment of Lord Denning in the celebrated case of MacFoy v UAC (1961) 3 All ER 1169.”

Oke-jumbo said the sitting presided by him is the legally and constitutionally recognised House of Assembly by virtue of the defection of the other members.

He, therefore, called on the governor to desist forthwith from further dealings with the 25 former lawmakers loyal to Wike.

He added, “Furthermore, this House would want to most respectfully urge and call on His Excellency, the Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, DSSRS, to desist forthwith from further dealings with the 25 former lawmakers, in whatever guise.

“Those members are merely floating and do not have any landing ground or anywhere to berth their ship since their defection to the All Progressives Congress on the 11th of December, 2023.

“This House is the legally and constitutionally recognised House of Assembly by virtue of the defection of the other members and is ready to receive correspondences from and work with His Excellency, the Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara. Distinguished colleagues, let me thank you once again.

“I know I can count on your unalloyed and unwavering support as we work with His Excellency, Sir Siminalayi Fubara in moving our dear Rivers State forward in promoting the progress and welfare of the State.”

[NaijaNews]

The agitation for the creation of additional states in Nigeria has been a long-standing issue, with proponents arguing that it would promote effective governance and development in the country.
The Southwest and Southeast geopolitical zones have been at the forefront of this agitation respectively.
Two bills are currently before the House of Representatives seeking the creation of three additional states in the southwest geopolitical zone.

LEADERSHIP reports that state creation in Nigeria dates back to 1967 when the then head of state, Gen Yakubu Gowon, created 12 states out of the four regions in existence. His successor, Murtala Mohammed, created additional seven states in 1976, which brought the total number to 19.

General Ibrahim Babangida, who was Nigerian head of state between 1985 and 1993, created 11 more states; two in 1987 and nine in 1991, which brought the number of states in the country to 30 till 1996 when another military ruler, the late General Sani Abacha added six states, bringing the number to 36 states that are currently in existence.

Also under the Abacha regime, Nigeria was divided into six geopolitical zones. Out of these, the northwest has seven states, the northeast, north central and south-south comprise six states each while the southeast consists of only five states.

Though history has shown that state creation had been done only by the military government, demands and even recommendations have been made at different times, especially in the last 24 years since the return to democratic rule in 1999 for more states to be created.

For instance, the 2014 National Conference recommended the creation of 18 new states (three per geo-political zone) and one new state for the southeast to make the zone have an equal number of states with the other zones, except the northwest which has seven.

Also, in February this year, the Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, threatened to sue the Nigerian government over its failure to create an additional state in the South-east.
Experts have suggested that a more pragmatic approach to the creation of additional states would be to base it on economic viability and a sense of fairness and balance.

They argue that any new state should be economically viable and able to sustain itself, and that the creation of new states should be based on a clear set of criteria that takes into account factors such as population, geography, and economic potential.

The president-general of the Ohanaeze, Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, had in a statement said it was improper that the southeast is the only region in Nigeria with five states.

Iwuanyanwu said the situation had cost the region billions in financial losses and losses in government positions, ministerial appointments as well as legislative representation.

“In 2005 and 2014, we raised this issue at various political conferences. All men of goodwill at the conference agreed that it was unfair for the southeast to have only five states and recommended that an additional state be created in the southeast, but up until today, this has not been done,” he said.

With the 10th National Assembly on another constitution amendment process, the House of Representatives has passed through first reading and also slated for second reading a Bill for an Act to Amend the Constitution to Provide for the Creation of Oke-Ogun with Saki as the Proposed Capital City, sponsored by Hon. Kareem Tajudeen Abisodun.

Similarly, the House has received a bill proposing the creation of three states, namely Ijebu, Oke-Ogun (also in the other bill) and Ife Ijesa states in the southwest region, sponsored by Hon. Oluwole Oke.
The proposed legislation is entitled “A Bill for an Act to amend the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended)” with the amendment of the First Schedule, Part I of the Constitution to read:

“The First Schedule, Part I of the Constitution is amended by introducing new states.”
In the draft bill, Ijebu State, when created, will compromise Ijebu East, Ijebu North East, Ijebu Ode, Ikenne, Odogbolu, Ogun Waterside, Remo North and Sagamu local government areas. The proposed capital city for Ijebu State is Ijebu Ode.

Oke-Ogun State with Iseyin as the proposed capital city would consist of 12 local government areas, including Olorunsogo, Irepo, Oorerelope, Ogbomosho North, Ogbomosho South, Saki-East, Saki-West, Atisbo, Itesiwaju, Iwajowa, Kajola and Iseyin.

Also, Ife Ijesa State will be made of 11 LGAs made up of Atakunmosa East, Atakunmosa West, Boluwaduro, Ife Central, Ife East, Ife North, Ife South, Ilesa East, Ilesa West, Oboku and Oriade.
The South-West geo-political zone is currently made up of six states: Ondo, Oyo, Lagos, Ogun, Osun and Ekiti states.

Speaking to LEADERSHIP, the executive director of Yiaga Africa, Samson Itodo, said there is inequity in the way states have been structured, with regions like the southeast having less number of states.
He, however, said more states should not just be about balance but the need for development and economic viability.

“We need to ask ourselves if the 36 states we have in the country are economically viable, and those are the kinds of conversations: how do we make those states more functional? But I think that people who are advocating for more states, especially regions like the southeast; we need to create that balance because it has impact on how the nation allocates its resources; resources are distributed across the states.

“It also has implications for the configuration of political power. So if you look at the National Assembly, the regions that have more states are more likely to have more representatives in the House of Representatives and that tilts the power against other regions, so when decisions are being made, you will have a particular section of people who may be adversely affected by this nature of configuration.

“But also, and I must say that this whole debate around state creation will need to revisit how we create states in our Constitution because this Constitution Review also provides the opportunity.

“Are they economically viable, are they able to generate their own resources? Those are critical discourses, but you need to strike a balance because you also need to ensure that there is inclusion and there is no marginalisation, and a particular region does not feel disproportionately affected,” Itodo noted.

Also, the chairman, the Independent Media and Policy Initiative (IMPI), Niyi Akinsiju, told LEADERSHIP that no states in Nigeria is deficient of economic opportunities, and advocacy for the creation of states should be based on such indices

“Historically, the bases of state creation in Nigeria are not on capacity for self-sustenance but rather on similarities and contiguity of culture and historical origins of the people in a geographical area. So, we have always been limited to that, and to that extent consideration for state or rather advocacy for state creation has not been on economic capacity.

“It is done principally about longing to find ethnic fellowship within the same geographical space for a given people. So for me, that could also be a good reason for state creation because, indeed, people that belong to a given geographical space that share the same ethnic origin, that share the same common culture, nothing stops them from having to belong in a geopolitical system that they can call their own. It gives them a sense of belonging.

CSOs Reject Calls For Creation of News States
Meanwhile, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have rejected proposals for the creation of additional states.

According to the CSOs, advocates of more state creation are not motivated by community development, but to create more avenues for looting the public purse.

The CSOs said Nigerian should think on how more funding should be coming from the states to support the centre and not creating additional states to depend on the centre for sustenance.

The CSOs which spoke to LEADERSHIP are Transition Monitoring Group (TMG), Transparency International (TI) and the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC).

Speaking through their leader, Awwal Musa Rafsanjani, the CSOs insisted that some states in Nigeria are not viable: they cannot pay salaries, nor contribute to the centre.
“It’s a very funny call,” Rafsanjani said of the proposals for additional states already in the National Assembly.

“Anyone calling for more states to be created, he should first of all ensure that the present state he is in is viable. Their calls should have been to contribute for their states and local government to be viable. If not, they just want more avenues for looting,” Rafsanjani said.

According to Rafsanjani, the CSOs are not in support of more states to be created because they will still depend on the centre, Abuja.
“We are not in support of state creation now because most of the states are not paying salaries. They have become lazy instead of contributing to the centre.

“We are opposed to it. If the proponents want development, they should contribute to the current state now and not advocate for more states. They only want avenues where they will be siphoning money or get more money from the centre to loot,” Rafsanjani added.

[Leadership]