Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Honourable Usman Bayero Nafada, on Wednesday, expressed the preparedness of the National Assembly to create more states in Nigeria, just as he hinted that Nigerians should expect not less than eight more states to be created.

Nafada, made this known during a press conference he addressed on constitution amendment, as he recounted personal efforts and the seriousness of the two chambers of the National Assembly, to create additional states in Nigeria.

He disclosed that the mood of legislators across board was that each of the two divides, in Nigeria, the North and South, should get four states each, while according to him some members were even advocating that five state should be created each in the north and the south.

Nafada stressed the importance of creation of additional states, which according to him was meant to spread development to the grassroots in the country, just as he stated that more states, if created would generate employment opportunities for Nigerians.

The deputy speaker lauded the efforts by the Senate and the House on conclusion of Constitution amendment assignments, which according to him, was a land mark in the history of parliamentary democracy in the country.

He explained reasons behind the resolve of the House to drop the clause on disqualification of candidates on the basis of indictment by white papers or reports of administrative panels, stating that the mood of members in that regard was that a candidate could only be disqualified by a competent court of law, rather than by white papers.

He stressed that the suspicion by members against the idea of white papers as a means of disqualifying candidates from elections, was the reason, majority of them voted against it, while considering the Constitution Amendment Bill.

Some of the members, he explained were of the view that the issue of white paper as a tool for disqualifying candidates from contesting elective offices could be a subject of abuse by either the President or state governors, whom he noted could set up an administrative panel of enquiry and subsequently issue a white paper, by their whims and caprices.

On why the members voted against the proposal on gender balance in the appointment of headship of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the deputy speaker said members were of the view that the issue of election was more serious that it should not be subjected to gender sentiments.

http://www.tribune.com.ng/index.php/news/4699-nass-may-approve-8-additional-states-deputy-speaker-says-new-constitution-ll-be-ready-before-2011-elections

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2010/04/29/reps-okay-10-new-states/