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Reactions continue to trail the proposed creation of 31 new states by the House of Representatives Constitutional Review Committee, sparking controversy across the country.
The latest criticism comes from Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Mohammed Ndarani, who has condemned the exclusion of Eduko State, a proposed state that was to be carved out of Niger State.
The SAN described the omission as a deliberate act of marginalisation against the Nupe people.
Speaking on the matter on Monday, Mohammed expressed dismay that despite the 2014 Confab’s recommendation for the creation of Edu State—now proposed as Eduko State—the committee overseeing state creation inexplicably removed it from the final list.
“It is unfortunate that Eduko State was excluded. The Confab deemed it fit, yet it has vanished from consideration. This raises serious questions. Why was it removed? It is evident that this is an act of marginalisation against the Nupe people,” he said.
He further stressed that Niger State, with a vast landmass of over 72,000 square kilometres, is more than capable of accommodating an additional state.
He insisted that Eduko meets the constitutional requirements outlined in Section 8(1)(2)(3), which is the legal framework guiding state creation in Nigeria.
“When we saw the recommended list, it was disheartening. If the Confab approved it, how did the committee see fit to remove it? This is unjust,” Mohammed lamented.
He called for an extension of the consultation period to allow other marginalised groups to participate in the state creation process.
The SAN urged President Bola Tinubu to intervene for deeper deliberation on the issue of state creation.
