The call for creation of more states in Nigeria is about to enter a new dimension
It follows the recommendation by the Senate Committee on the Constitutional Review that the referendum is carried out for 20 new states by the Independent National Election Commission (INEC).
According to the nation, the committee's decision was achieved after considering various factors including the ability of civilian government to create a state.
Given that the mid-western mid area was created in 1963 in the first Republic.
To check tax evasion, the Senate panel also approved the 1999 Constitutional Amendment to enable the creation of a federal income court.
There will be around five income courts to handle all tax issues nationally, especially cases involving multinational companies.
A very placed source said the Senate panel will soon meet with the House of Representatives Committee on the Constitutional Review for Joint Consultations in some approved amendments.
The creation of the new state sustains the 1999 Constitution Amendment list.
Although less than five of the 36 states today are economically feasible, it is collected that the Senate Committee is determined to respect what is called "Nigerian's original desire."
The request list for new states is quite old but the source said the referendum can be done without less than 20 states.
Some requests including state itai (from the Ibom State Akwa); State status for FCT; Kadagum state from Bauchi state; Okura state of East Kogi; Adada State of Enugu State; Gugara states from South Kaduna; and Ijebu state from the State of Ogun.
Others include Ibadan State from Oyo State; Tiga State from Kano State; Ghari State from Kano State; Amana State from Adamawa; Gongola State from Adamawa; Mambilla State from Taraba State; Savannah State from Borno State; and Okun state from Kogi State.
Others on the list are Etiti State from the South East Zone; Orashi State from Imo and Anambra states; Njaba from the present Imo State or the excision of Aba State from Abia State; Anioma State from Delta State; Torogbene and Oil River States, from Bayelsa, Delta and Rivers states; and Bayajida State from parts of Katsina, Jigawa and Zamfara states.
The source said: "The Senate Committee on the Constitutional Review has seen the desire to create new states that can even solve the current national security challenges.
"What the Senate Committee recommended is to change the constitution to empower INEC to possess the powers to conduct a referendum on state creation.
"When Inec has a constitutional mandate, we can then beg the part in Section 1 Chapter 1 of the 1999 Constitution.
"We're talking about a referendum at a price of less than or around 20 new states."
Responding to questions, the source added: "The procedure for creating a new state might be complicated but can be realized.
"At the level of the committee, it is clear that the civilian government is better placed to create a new state than the form of other governments. In fact, the mid-western region has been created in 1963 during the first Republic.
"In this fifth amendment to the 1999 Constitution, the National Assembly can create a new state if the condition is fulfilled."