Prominent leaders on Friday reacted to the news of proposals before the National Assembly seeking for the creation of additional 30 states in addition to the already existing 36 states with all of them divided on the issue.
Those who spoke with Saturday Telegraph on the matter include a former Secretary to the Federal Government, Oba Oluyemisi Falae; a former Political Adviser to former President Shehu Shagari, Tanko Yakassai.
Others are a former Minority Leader in the House of Representatives and Deputy Leader of the pan-Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, Oba Oladipo Olaitan and former President of Igbo Think Tank group, Aka Ikenga, Chief Goddy Uwazurike.
While Oba Falae and Uwazurike gave their support to the moves, the duo of Olaitan and Yakassai opposed it on the basis that it is not be sustainable at this time considering the current economic situation of the country.
They bared their minds in separate telephone chats with our correspondent on the development, which occurred at the National Assembly during the week.

Olu Falae
In his submission, Oba Falae who is the traditional ruler of Ilu Abo Community in Akure North of Ondo State, stated that the development is consistent with the recommendation of the 2014 National Political Conference which sought further division of the country into more administrative units to address the fears of the minority ethnic nationalities who alleged that they have been marginalised in their various states by the dominant ethnic groupings.
The former SFG gave his support to the move even though it is still a proposal that is still pending at the National Assembly though maintaining that he didn’t have details with regards to the specific demands and where they are coming from.
Oba Falae said, “Creation of additional states in Nigeria is very important for the stability, unity and development of Nigeria. At this stage, we need more states so that the government can be closer to the people and that the people can relate more to what the government is doing. Definitely, more states are needed provided that the right criteria are followed.”
He stated that the 2014 National Political Conference, which he participated in recommended that the country should have 64 states in total which means that additional 28 states be created with the two regions maintaining parity in terms of the number of states in the regions.
The retired civil servant turned traditional ruler maintained that the conference also recommended that each of the six geo-political zones also gets parity by making have nine states in each as a means of addressing restiveness occasioned by perceived domination of the large groups over and above the smaller ethnic nationalities in the identified states.
Oba Falae added: “Our decision was not in any way done arbitrarily, when we were at the conference, we received many memos from delegations especially from the people of the North Central comprising of the Niger, Kwara, Kogi, Plateau, Nassarawa, Adamawa, Benue and Tabara states who are minorities in the North came to us, I mean those of us in the South and told us that since the military leaders had been creating states in Nigeria, since most of them were of Hausa/Fulani extraction, according to them, they had always ensured that they, the minority ethnic nationalities never had a majority in any state. They said due to that they had been marginalised and that they needed their independence within Nigeria.”

Yakassai
Yakassai stated that the call is rather misplaced considering the fact that it would drain the lean resources available to the country as the newly created administrative units would need to erect the needed structure that would sustain their existence.
To him, the current 36 states structure is adequate for the country and that no matter how many states were created there would always be complaints by people for further balkanization of the country.
“I don’t think it is possible (at this time). Creating additional states to the existing 36 states in the country will be very costly for the country. The action will consume the lean revenue available to the country. I am saying this because when you create states, you will have to provide the needed administrative structures such as the appointment of new civil servants.
“You see! All these need money, which will be coming from the same source but now, we are not making big money, we are relying on tax,” he said.
But when asked about ceaseless agitations for the creation of more states, Yakassai said: “You cannot stop people from complaining. Even if you create over 100 new states, people will still complain. We will still have more people clamouring for a new state. If you ask me, the current structure is adequate for the country.”

Olaitan
The former Minority Leader in the House of Representatives echoed the sentiments of Yakassai as he also dismissed the move as unsustainable, saying whoever is clamouring for the new states are not sincere and honest,
“This action is not sustainable. The situation is very obvious for all to see, it is not sustainable at all. Anybody asking for that is not sincere,” he said, just as he dismissed the fact that it would solve the agitation for creation of additional states.

Uwazurike
Uwazurike who endorsed the move agreed with Falae that it would solve the problem of structural imbalances in the country, saying it is consistent with the outcome of the 2014 Political Conference where he personally moved the motion for the creation of additional states within the country which was eventually endorsed by all members of the talk shop.
“It was my fortune to have moved the motion for the creation of the new states at the conference but the immediate past President Muhammadu Buhari failed to act on the recommendation as the successor to former President Goodluck Jonathan,” he said.