Abuja: Sen. Diket Plang (Plateau Central) has emphasized that Nigeria’s democratic progress should involve the creation of more states to achieve a true federal balance and enhance grassroots governance. Plang shared his views in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Tuesday.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the National Assembly is currently engaged in a review of the 1999 Constitution, considering 69 bills that include 55 state creation requests, two boundary adjustments, and 278 local government proposals. Plang highlighted that all existing states were established under military regimes and urged civilian administrations to take similar decisive actions.
The senator explained that the growth in population and expanding constituencies necessitate the formation of new administrative units to bring governance closer to the people. He noted, “A child grows, constituencies grow, wards grow, and so do local governments and states. The purpose of creating states is to ensure government reaches the grassroots.”
As the chair of the Senate Committee on Labour, Employment and Productivity, Plang argued that population pressure justifies such restructuring. He acknowledged the financial implications but maintained that the need for additional states is pressing, stating, “Nigeria has grown, and it’s time we considered more states.”
Plang also commented on proposals suggesting the creation of one new state per geo-political zone, emphasizing that fairness and necessity should guide the process. He expressed satisfaction with a proposal from the South-South region, where communities from three states are coming together to form a new one, without dividing a single state.
He concluded by saying that balanced representation would strengthen national unity and that creating one state per geo-political zone could be a viable approach if the need arises. “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a step, so we can’t say no to that,” Plang remarked.