In a significant move, Deputy Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, Rep. Abdullahi Ibrahim Ali Halims, has sponsored a bill to create a new state, Okura, from Kogi State. The bill, which was read for the second time at the plenary session of the House of Representatives, aims to bring government closer to the people of Igala/Bassa land, promoting balanced development and equitable resource distribution.
According to a media statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Comrade Muhammed Nasiru, the bill is principally sponsored by Rep. Abdullahi Ibrahim Ali Halims and has four clauses. Clause one is the enactment clause, while clauses two and three are the amendment clauses of the principal Act. Clause four is the Citation clause, which will delete the word “thirty-six” and insert the word “thirty-seven” instead, recognizing Okura as the 37th state of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The bill also seeks to provide a legal framework for inserting a new paragraph into the constitution, listing Okura as a state with Egume as its capital. The proposed state will comprise nine local government areas: Ankpa, Bassa, Dekina, Ibaji, Idah, Igalamela/Odolu, Ofu, Olamaboro, and Omala.
Rep. Halims emphasized that Section 8 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) empowers the National Assembly to create new states through an Act of Parliament, as reinforced by the Supreme Court in the case of Nwokedi V Anambra State Government & Anor (2022) LPELR-57033.
The ranking parliamentarian stressed that the bill seeks to promote equity, fairness, justice, and balanced development, as well as equitable representation and effective management of human and natural resources in the proposed Okura State. He urged the Speaker and his distinguished colleagues to support the bill overwhelmingly.
This development has sparked hope among the people of Igala/Bassa land, who have long been advocating for a separate state to address their unique needs and challenges. The creation of Okura State is expected to bring about improved governance, economic growth, and social development in the region.