Ibadan North Federal Constituency Demands for Creation of Ibadan State.

HON. AWOLEYE ANSWERING QUESTIONS FROM NEWSMEN.

The people of people of Ibadan North Federal Constituency have demanded for the creation of Ibadan State of the present Oyo state. They made the demand at the one day people’s public session facilitated by the member representing Ibadan North Federal Constituency Hon. Abiodun Awoleye for the people of the constituency on the amendment of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria that took place at the Cultural Centre, Ibadan, the Oyo State capital on Saturday, November 10, 2012.

They said the creation of Ibadan State is long overdue. They said the composition of the 11 local government areas in Ibadan with population of over 2.3 millions according to the 2006 census is more that the population of Balyesa , Nassarawa, Ekiti  states. They urged the national assembly to expedite work in the amendment processes to ensure the successful creation of Ibadan state in thye ongoing constitution amendment.

  Awoleye while assuring the people  of a new people oriented constitution that will take cognizance of views, opinions, demands, submission and aspirations of the people of Ibadan North Federal Constituency and Nigeria as a whole regardless of their sex, age or political affiliations said the constitution will truly reflect the wishes of the people.

         

          While briefing newsmen on the purpose of the event that took place simultaneously in all the 360 federal constituencies across the federation expressed optimism that the purpose to which is to give all sundry sense of belonging to participate in the amendment of the constitution will not be jeopardize. The event according to Hon. Awoleye is to correct abnormalities: to add, subtract and make proper adjustment to the 1999 constitution forcefully betrothed to us by the Military. 

He said the house had received over 200 memoranda/ submissions from groups and individuals on their views about the constitution which made the house to take the amendment processes to the various constituencies to ensure grassroot participation which he described as a welcome idea, a great achievement of the house and first of its kind in the history of Nigeria.

          The amendment according to Hon. Awoleye will not be business as usual where submissions will not be implemented.  He said “It is not going to be business as usual, that is the reason we have a steering a committee with a secretary that will write the report and forward to the National Assembly within one week”.  “We want to ensure that at the end of the day, we will have what we can call people’s constitution, that is why we decided to make it all inclusive so that everybody can say his or her mind on what to amend, either to remove or add”. He said.

          The event that has Prof. Bayo Okunade, Director Centre Distance Learning and lecturer at the Department of Political Science, University of Ibadan as the moderator had the attendance of Hon. Babatunde Olaniyan, member, representing Ibadan North Constituency I and Deputy Speaker Oyo State House of Assembly, Hon. Babatunde Lapade chairman Ibadan North Local Government  and various groups such as NBA, FOMWAN, NUJ, NANS, TUC, NULGE, CCI, CAN, Youth and Civil Society organizations.

Other issues discussed  in the guideline list discussed includes issues on local government autonomy, NYSC, land use act, indigeneship, and citizenship, rotational presidency, tenures of public office holders and other areas were thoroughly discussed at the event. They resolved that the NYSC scheme should be repelled, that there should be no any percentage reserve for female seeking elective posts among others.

A participant, Pa Anthony Adewuyi praised the lawmaker disclosed that Hon. Awoleye is truly a representative of the people because he had organized a similar public session during the subsidy uproar in January this year.  He said the programe had showed that the house believed that the sovereignty lies on the people.