Tinubu Chides Agitators of State Creation

Former Governor of Lagos State, Alhaji Bola Tinubu, has warned that the agitations for creation of more states in Nigeria would lead to further division and disunity of the country.
Tinubu told newsmen at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos yesterday that creation of more states would reinforce tribal politics in the country and erode gains of unity in diversity.
According to the former Governor, state creation does not guarantee economic prosperity, political stability and it promotes division among people who hitherto lived together but would now refer to themselves as belonging to different states.
He explained that creation of states was like balkanisation of Nigeria, as gulfs are created among people with the creation of more states.
“When you talk about state creation, you balkanise Nigeria. The more states we create, the more divided we may be. I don’t think state creation is the answer to economic prosperity, stability, free and fair election and development. It is the desire of the people to want to create states, but when we start to divide ourselves along ethnic lines, you are more or less turning the states to become local governments.”
Tinubu also observed, “To agitate for state creation, you are further dividing and highlighting the differences that are our diversity for strength, which polarises the country.”
He suggested that those agitating for more states should divert their energies on how the nation could use her diversity to enthrone prosperity rather than division of Nigeria.
He therefore urged Nigerians to commit themselves to the unity of the country instead of clinging to tribal cleavages that tend to endanger the country’s unity.
On the proposed review of the 1999 Constitution, Tinubu said that instead of comprehensive review of the entire document, the legislature should only tinker the aspect that has to deal with the electoral process.


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