Push for Ijebu State Gains Momentum as Bill Scales Second Reading in House

The long-standing agitation for the creation of Ijebu State received a major boost on Thursday, October 23 2025, as the House of Representatives passed for second reading a bill seeking to carve the new state out of the present Ogun State.

The bill, sponsored by Hon. Olufemi Ogunbanwo, who represents Ijebu Ode/Ijebu North East/Odogbolu Federal Constituency, alongside three other lawmakers, drew wide support during plenary before being referred to the House Committee on Constitutional Review for further legislative action.

Presiding over the session, Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu hailed the sponsors for advancing a bill he described as “a reflection of the people’s desire for fair representation and balanced development.”

He emphasized that the proposal would undergo detailed scrutiny in line with constitutional provisions governing state creation.

The legislation seeks to amend the 1999 Constitution (as amended) to formally establish Ijebu State, with the sponsors arguing that the move will promote administrative efficiency, strengthen grassroots governance, and accelerate development across the Ijebu region.

Under Section 8(1) of the Constitution, the creation of a new state must pass through multiple layers of approval — including endorsement by two-thirds of lawmakers in both chambers of the National Assembly, concurrence of the affected State House of Assembly and local governments, and a referendum supported by two-thirds of the area’s residents.

It must then secure majority approval from all State Houses of Assembly across the federation before receiving final ratification.

Analysts note that no new state has been created in Nigeria since 1999, making the Ijebu proposal both ambitious and historic. Supporters, however, remain hopeful that the ongoing constitutional review, expected to conclude before the end of 2025, could finally make the long-awaited dream of Ijebu State a reality.