The Nigerian Senate has passed a bill for the creation of Ijebu State, the proposed legislation scaled first reading at plenary session on Wednesday.
The bill, which seeks to establish Ijebu as an independent state, is sponsored by Gbenga Daniel, Senator representing ogun east senatorial district in Ogun State.
The bill titled the “Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,1999 (Alteration) Bill, 2024 (Creation of ljebu State),” aims to carve out Ijebu from the current Ogun State.
The bill was introduced by Senate Majority Leader Michael Bamidele of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the “fourth order of the day” during plenary.
Sen. Godswill Akpabio, President of Senate, presiding over plenary moved the proposed legislation forward for its first reading, the bill is expected to come up for the second and third reading before concurrence.
The move for the creation of Ijebu State is part of a broader national discourse on the need for more state creation across Nigeria, particularly in regions where there are growing demands for administrative autonomy.
If the bill successfully progresses through the required legislative procedures, Ijebu, currently a part of Ogun State, could stand as a separate state with its own governance structures.
This development comes amid increasing calls for state creation in various parts of the country, with proponents arguing that new states could better address local needs, foster economic growth, and enhance political representation.
