SENATE President David Bonaventure Alechenu Mark makes sure he says things importantly. States would be created, he said. It sounds like a fait accompli. He must have figured it out, the States and added the political cost of creating them.

“Creation of additional States can only make government closer to the people contrary to the view in certain quarters that we do not need additional States in the federation,” Mark said in Ijebu-Ode, where he was attending a festival.

His thesis is wrong. States do not make governments closer to the people. Governments are not close to the people even in the state capitals where governments are located. Are the local governments close to the people? Closeness of governments to the people derives from a decision of those in charge to relate to their people, notice their challenges and tackle them. It is not an issue related to number of States. If 774 local governments are not close to the people what difference would more States make?

That is a question for Nairalanders...