SAN decries exclusion, marginalization of Nupe in propose 31 new States
BY ANDREW OROLUA
The proposed creation of 31 new states by house of representative committee in Nigeria has sparked controversy, as Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mohammed Ndarani decried exclusion of Eduko State, initially planned to be carved out of Niger State.
He said the proposed state creation list released by House of Representatives Committee on states creation conspicuously omitted Eduko state .
Ndarani SAN described the omission as a deliberate act of marginalization against the Nupe people.
Speaking on the matter on Monday in Abuja Ndarani expressed dismay that despite the 2014 Confab’s recommendation for the creation of Edu State—now proposed as Eduko State—the committee overseeing state creation inexplicably removed it from the final list.
“It is unfortunate that Eduko State was excluded. The Confab deemed it fit, yet it has vanished from consideration. This raises serious questions. Why was it removed? It is evident that this is an act of marginalization against the Nupe people,” he said.
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He further emphasized that Niger State, with a vast landmass of over 72,000 square kilometers, is more than capable of accommodating an additional state.
He insisted that Eduko meets the constitutional requirements outlined in Section 8(1)(2)(3) which is the legal framework guiding state creation in Nigeria.
“When we saw the recommended list, it was disheartening. If the Confab approved it, how did the committee see fit to remove it? This is unjust,” Ndarani lamented.
He called for an extension of the consultation period to allow other marginalized groups in the country to participate in the state creation process.
He urged President Bola Tinubu to intervene on the matter, reminding the president of the long standing relationship between the ethnic national and the president.
