National Conference Vote For Rotation Of Presidency, 18 New States

The delegates of the perpetual National Conference acceded with a recommendation by Conference’s Committee on Political Restructuring and Forms of Government which advocated engenderment of 18 incipient states in Nigeria and rotation of the presidential post between the South and the North.

In case the Federal Government embraces the suggestion, Nigeria will have a total of 54 states located in six geo-political zones, nine states per each of the zone.

An supplemental state would be engendered for the South East zone, which currently has only five states, i.e. Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo.

The Conference withal offered rotation of the presidency between the North and South and among the six geo-political zones. The governorship seat would be subject to rotation among the senatorial districts in each state.

Ike Nwachukwu and Mohammed Kumalia, the two co-Chairmen of the Committee, accentuated that the conception of engendering incipient states in Nigeria remained a highly-controversial political issue.

The report, issued on June 30, 2014, Monday, contained the denominations of the following incipient states for Nigeria:

1. Apa from the present Benue State

2. Kainji from Kebbi

3. Katagum from Bauchi

4. Savannah from Borno

5. Amana from Adamawa

6. Gurara from Kaduna

7. Ghari from Kano

8. Etiti from South East

9. Aba from Abia
10. Adada from Enugu

11.  Njaba-Anim from Anambra and Imo

12. Anioma from Delta

13. Orashi from Rivers State

14. Ogoja from Cross River

15. IJebu from Ogun

16. Incipient Oyo State from the present Oyo State.

Names and capitals of states # 17 and 18, which are to be engendered in South-West and South-South zones, are yet to be tenacious.

The criteria for esse of incipient states are sufficient economical vigor and potential, presence of human, material and natural resources. A incipient state should have a minimum population of one million people.