Bill to create new Oyo state, rename existing one passes second reading

October 22, 2024

By Ayinde Adeleke

A bill aimed at creating a new Oyo State and renaming the existing Oyo State to Ibadan State has successfully passed its second reading in the House of Representatives.

The bill, sponsored by Akeem Adeyemi, son of the late Alafin Adeyemi, along with six other lawmakers, proposes that Oyo Town will serve as the capital of the newly established state, while Ibadan City will remain the capital of the renamed Ibadan State.

The constitution alteration bill was approved during a plenary session on Tuesday and will now be referred to the Constitutional Review Committee for further legislative scrutiny.

This development follows the passage of a similar bill last week aimed at creating Ogoja State from Cross River in Nigeria’s south-south geopolitical zone, as part of ongoing efforts to amend the 1999 Constitution.

Notably, no new states have been created since Nigeria returned to democratic rule in 1999.

The proposed legislation also includes plans for the division of the existing 33 local governments between the two states, which has sparked discussions about governance and resource distribution in the region.

The bill’s passage has significant implications for the people of Oyo State and Nigeria as a whole, and its progress will be closely watched in the coming weeks.