The House of Representatives has taken a major step toward the creation of a new state in the South-West, as a bill seeking to establish Ibadan State from the present Oyo State passed its second reading on Thursday.

The proposed legislation, sponsored by Abass Adigun, who represents the Ibadan North-East/Ibadan South-East Federal Constituency, aims to amend the 1999 Constitution to officially recognise Ibadan as a state.

While leading the debate on the floor of the House, Adigun argued that the bill represents a “monumental step toward equitable development through true federalism and the fulfillment of the long-held aspiration of the people of Ibadan.”

He noted that despite Ibadan’s historical significance as the former capital of the old Western Region, alongside cities like Enugu and Kaduna that have since become states, it remains without such recognition.

According to the lawmaker, Ibadan possesses the required population size, economic capacity, and landmass to merit statehood. He also claimed that a single local government in Ibadan is larger than three combined local governments in Bayelsa State.

His comments, however, drew an immediate objection from Obuku Ofurji, representing the Yenagoa/Opokuma Federal Constituency of Bayelsa State, who described the comparison as “irrelevant and disrespectful.”

Adigun later apologised for the remark but insisted that his argument was based on verifiable facts, urging his colleagues to support the bill in the interest of fairness and balanced national development.

Reps move to create Ibadan State as bill scales second reading