LET me quickly ask: Does Adada State proposal stand a chance and well positioned in the polity? Of the four proposed States angling to be the one (1) additional State for the SE, Adada State stands out with potentials for success.
The Bill, which has been cited as the “Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Alteration) Bill, 2024 (SB. 482)”, seeks to amend Section 3(1) and the First Schedule, Part 1 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to provide for the creation of Adada State to bring the number of South-East states to six (6); that would enable the South-East to be at par with the other geopolitical zones of the country.
The proposed Adada State stands a better chance among other contenders from SE, on the following factual basis, providing the rallying points of debate and support for Adada State:
Create balancing in the South East (SE)- It would create a balance and fairness at the sub-national SE States which has imbalance between the two major ancient blocs of Northern Igbo (Ndi Wawa) comprising the present Enugu and Ebonyi States. While Southern Igbo (Ndi Agbenu), comprise of the present Abia, Anambra and Imo States. The Southern Igbo currently has 3 out of the existing five states in the SE, necessitating that any additional State to the SE should to be given to the part of Northern Igbo where Adada State belongs;
Homogeneity of the people with cultural affinity- Adada State is to be carved out of the part of the current Enugu State comprising the Enugu North Senatorial District of Enugu State, who are people of Nsukka cultural zone, though from different local government areas (Nsukka, Igbo-Eze North, Igbo-Eze South, Udenu, Igbo-Etiti and Uzo-Uwani local governments), but with ancient cultural affinity known throughout Igbo land. Adada State would be composed of seven LGAs constituting about 58 per cent of the current population of Enugu State. The proposed capital is Nsukka, a major urban centre in Enugu state.
Adada State is the earliest agitation from SE – The push for creation of Adada state dates back to 1983. Over the years, various Committees and National Conferences have recognised the legitimacy of this demand, reflecting its deep historical roots and the people’s persistent desire for it. Hon. Yunusa Kaltungo, a federal lawmaker from Bauchi state, first made the proposal in 1983, citing Nigeria’s imbalance in state creation, particularly in the southeast. Sen. (Engr.) Isaiah Ani, the Senator representing Nsukka Senatorial zone in the Second Republic, also presented a bill for Adada State creation in 1983.
The request was also presented before the Mbanefo Panel on State and Local Government Creation and Boundary Adjustment in 1996. Expectations were high after the 2014 Constitutional Conference had recommended that an additional state be created in the SE. The creation of Adada state was also unanimously accepted at the 2005 Confab, which was held during former president Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration. The proposed State capital, Nsukka, is Nigeria’s oldest and biggest local government. It served as a district head during the colonial era and was the only of its kind that was yet to become a state capital. The area constituting the proposed Adada State is the only old province east of the Niger created during the colonial era that has yet to become a State;
Adada State proposal enjoys massive Stakeholders’ Support–The proposed Adada State enjoys massive popular support from the stakeholders and the government of Enugu State. Both the Enugu state government and the Enugu State House of Assembly have demonstrated strong support for the creation of Adada State.
This political backing is crucial for advancing the proposal and garnering broader national support. Unlike many other requests for State creation from other quarters agitating for new States in Nigeria, Adada State is receiving political backing from its mother State, Enugu. The thunderous jubilation when the Bill for the creation of the proposed Adada State scaled First Reading at the Senate in July 2024, attests to the support and popularity of the demand
Beyond satisfying other qualifying criteria, there are indications of no dissenting voices for the proposed Adada State, as the Enugu State Government had earlier created the Adada State Actualisation Committee with the mandate of making this request a reality.
ground step is unlike other requests that do not have the support of their mother States, cutting across more States. Also, the Enugu State House of Assembly had on April 24, 2008, passed a House Resolution supporting the creation of Adada State out of Enugu State.
It therefore stands to note and contend that out of the other proposals from the existing SE geo-political zone, none has been as acceptable, homogenously positioned, and as most potentially qualified as Adada State.
The Challenges of the Adada State Proposal-
Given the rigorous procedural requirements for creation of State under the extant Nigerian Constitution, multiplication of diverse efforts and resources from same SE geo-political zone, pose major challenges on the pathway for successful creation of Adada State, and indeed, the creation of the much needed additional State for the SE.
Much more than any other routine challenges, the apparent parallel agitations and proposals for as many as three other States, just angling for the one slot of the expected additional State to be created for the SE, remains the potent threat against successful creation of the proposed Adada State.
The multiple proposal, particularly from within the core and existing SE States invariably portrays SE as a people, though deprived, but cannot harmonise their efforts to pursue the remedy for justice in unison, and be fair even among themselves
The ensuing competition is therefore self-defeating and not healthy for development of Igboland, as political leaders and various stakeholders of the SE ought to have a rationalised fair review of the need for the creation of the additional one State and align efforts and join forces for creation of Adada State, which is most deserving!
Constitutional requirements and hurdles for creation of State under the 1999 constitution of Nigeria
Under the current legal regime of constructional democracy in Nigeria, there are basic constitutional requirements and procedural hurdle-steps to cross for a successful creation of new State in Nigeria. In democratic era, the task of creation of new State is quite daunting with rigorous constitutional requirements to be strictly complied with. Nonetheless, it is difficult, yet possible.
The daunting task of State creation in civilian regime-Achieving the much desirable and needed additional State for the SE depends on due compliance with the rigorous provisions of the extant Constitution of Nigeria. The daunting task of State creation is heightened by the fact that from the Nigeria’s political history, civilian administration of post-colonial Nigeria has not been able to embark on successful State creation.
Potential political intrigues inherent in the federal system of government with constitutional democratic governance, being practiced in Nigeria, combine to scare successful achievement of State creation under the current governance structure of civilian administration in Nigeria.
Unlike the colonial or military administration, which has express fiat to undertake such balkanisation without much procedural steps, particularly not requiring the consent and support of the people, the position under the civilian administration, particularly under the constitutional democracy and federal system of government requiring approval in certain voting pattern from various layers of the official representatives of the people in the Bi-camera legislative structure of the National Assembly (Senate and House of Representatives) at federal level, and certain voting support of the State Legislature(s) and Local government Councillors of the affected area(s), inclusive of successful Referendum from the populace of the concerned areas, open up State creation to somewhat herculean and near-impossible venture.
To be continued tomorrow.
Ogbuanya, a judge of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria presented this at the 2024 Convention, Public Lecture and Award Ceremony of the Nsukka Journalist Forum (NJF), Nsukka, Enugu State, recently.
