Honourable Abubakar Y. Suleiman, Speaker, Bauchi State House of Assembly strongly debunked the notion that funding will pose a serious challenge in creating additional states in Nigeria.
The Speaker raised this objection in an exclusive chat with WikkiTimes on the outcome of the ongoing Public hearing on the review of Nigeria’s 1999 constitution.
Abubakar Y. Suleiman said that “Creation of new States may not necessarily affect the funding because for example, if Katagum is carved out of Bauchi State, there will be little addition to the amount we are receiving before it will be shared between the two States.
“This will definitely accelerate the development of both States and this is applicable in all other states in Nigeria just like it happened between Gombe and Bauchi State.
“Go to Gombe today that was created out of Bauchi State and see how developed it is; so, I think the issue of funding should not be a deterrent to the creation of more states in Nigeria”.
He added that since the size of the state will be reduced by virtue of creating a new one, it will open more frontiers of development both infrastructure and employment wise.
Recall that Katagum is a new state proposed for creation from Bauchi State from the recent public hearing which the Nigeria Economic Restructuring Bill 2021 indicated will be added to the existing six states of the North East region to make it seven.
On submissions to remove the immunity clause on the Governors and other key public office holders the Bauchi Speaker insisted that it will distract them from fully performing their constitutional roles,
“The issue is that if you remove immunity on Governors especially with something that has to do with civil cases, then, there will be so many distractions, roaming around one course or the other without performing well,
“It is not that what they are being charged will not be implemented, but it is better to pursue any instituted case against them after their tenure for maximum performance while in office”, he said.
Abubakar Suleiman however harped on the good governance by public office holders as a vital means of addressing many challenges confronting Nigeria including insecurity, unemployment, among others.
