National CONFAB commitee agrees on states merging

The delegates at the Committee on Political Restructuring and Forms of Government have agreed on a proposal that will enable states that wish to merge to do so. The issue of merger is a situation whereby two or more states can come together as one.

The resolution of the committee on the issue reads:

That without prejudice to states constituting the federating units, States that wish to merge may do so in accordance with the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, provided that:

1. A majority of two-thirds of all members in each of the Houses of Assembly of each of the states, in which merger is proposed, support by resolutions, the merger and


2. A referendum is conducted in each of the states proposing to merge with 75% of the eligible voters in each of those states approving of the merger and

3. Each Houses of the national assembly by resolution passed by a simple majority of membership of the each states of assembly approves of the merger.

Explaining the committee’s reason for making the process of merger of states less cumbersome compared to creating of states, the Co-Chairman of the Committee told newsmen that “the criteria for creating a state is quite stringent and delegates felt that if you want the states to merge, the condition should be less stringent.”

He expressed hope that the committee’s recommendation will see the light of day when it arrives at the conference plenary.

Other resolution from the committee is the adoption of federalism as the system of government for Nigeria while the state is the federating unit.

Also, the committee agrees that the local government which is the third tiers of government should cease to be so only that it should be recognise in the constitution and the number and forms of local government should be left for the states to determine.
The committee resolved that the states may create local government which shall be under the jurisdiction of the state and the number; structure of local government shall be determined by the state.

The committee also introduced a new clause that gives group of states the chance to cooperate on certain key issues of common interests to them ranging from security, economic development, law and order, good governance, etc., through the formation of a zonal commission so that they can pursue the common aspiration that they may have.