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Claim: A Facebook user, Odumayo Funke Olufemi, claimed that Oyo State has been split into two states.
Verdict: FALSE. DUBAWA’s findings reveal that the bill to create the new states has only passed the second reading in the House of Representatives.
Full Text
Oyo State, located in the South-West geopolitical zone of Nigeria, was established in 1976 after being carved out of the former Western State. It comprises 33 Local Government Areas and 29 Local Council Development Areas, with Ibadan as the capital city. Ibadan is Nigeria’s third-largest city by population and the largest by geographical area.
Over the years, there have been ongoing discussions about creating a new state from Oyo. Previous efforts to create states such as Oke-Ogun and Ibadan from the current Oyo State have been unsuccessful.
On Oct 24, 2024, Facebook user Odumayo Funke Olufemi posted a claim stating that Oyo State has been divided into two states: “New Oyo State” with Oyo Town as the capital and “Ibadan State” with Ibadan as the capital.
The post reads: “BREAKING NEWS!!! Oyo State Now Split into two New Oyo State/ Oyo Town as the Capital. Ibadan State/ Ibadan as the Capital.”
As of Oct. 25, 2024, the post had received 57 likes and 59 comments, sparking varied reactions.
Ayanfeoluwa Abiodun commented, “You people sha wan cause trouble the thing wey never reach third reading,” while another user, Achilles Achilles, said, “This is a welcome development.”
Verification
Using the keywords “Oyo State” and “State creation,” DUBAWA found that discussions on creating a new state from Oyo State have been circulating in the media.
On Tuesday, Oct 22, 2024, several media outlets, including The Punch and Premium Times, reported that a bill proposing the division of Oyo into two new states had passed its second reading in the House of Representatives. Sponsored by Akeem Adeyemi from Oyo and six other lawmakers, the constitutional amendment bill advanced during Tuesday’s plenary session. The bill proposes the creation of a New Oyo State, with Oyo Town as its capital, while renaming the remaining portion as Ibadan State, with Ibadan as its capital.
According to The Punch, leading the debate on the bill’s general principles, Adeyemi, who represents Oyo Federal Constituency in Oyo State, stated that the push for creating New Oyo State is not recent. He cited the 2014 national conference in Abuja, which recommended the creation of New Oyo State with Oyo Town as the capital.
Adeyemi explained, “It’s noteworthy that the present Oyo State deserves to be split into two, being the largest state in terms of landmass in the South-West geopolitical zone, with 33 local governments and a population of 5,580,894 people (2006 census). The New Oyo State, when created, will have all the factors to be economically and politically viable and sustainable.”
The bill is expected to undergo a public hearing before the third reading and Senate concurrence.
When does a Bill become an Act in Nigeria?
In Nigeria, for a bill to be passed into an act, it must go through several stages:
1. Proposal stage: Identification of the need for a bill.
2. First reading.
3. Second reading.
4. Committee stage: An analysis of the bill, which may include a public hearing for public input.
5. Third reading.
6. Signing of the bill.
7. Presidential assent: The president’s signature is required to turn the bill into law. According to Section 58(4) of the Constitution, the president must sign the bill within 30 days of receiving it.
Looking at the above procedure, the bill to split Oyo state has not been passed or implemented.
Conclusion
The claim is false. Although discussions on creating a new state from Oyo state are ongoing, the legislative bill proposing this has only passed the second reading.
