The House of Representatives has advanced a bill proposing the division of Oyo State into two states. The new Oyo State will have Oyo town as its capital, while the remaining area will be renamed Ibadan State, with Ibadan City as its capital, pending further legislative review.
The House of Representatives recently advanced a significant constitutional amendment bill that proposes the division of Oyo State into two distinct states. Sponsored by Akeem Adeyemi of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and six other lawmakers, the bill aims to create a new Oyo State, with Oyo town designated as its capital. The remaining part of the current Oyo State would be renamed Ibadan State, with Ibadan City serving as its capital.
During the plenary session, Speaker Abbas Tajudeen emphasized that the bill was straightforward and did not require extensive debate. As a result, he promptly referred it to the Committee on Constitutional Review for further consideration. This legislative move is notable in the context of Oyo State’s history, which was established on February 3, 1976, after the dissolution of the former Western State during the military rule of General Murtala Mohammed.
The bill marks a continuation of efforts to reshape the administrative boundaries of Oyo State, with previous attempts to create Oke-Ogun and Ibadan states having failed to gain traction. Concurrently, another bill sponsored by Oluwole Oke from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) seeks to create Oke-Ogun State as part of the ongoing constitutional review process.
