By Obafemi Awolowo
April 4, 1961
Federal House of Representatives, Lagos
I beg to move the following amendment: To delete the words of the Motion after `territorially’ and substitute `of Benin and Delta Provinces in the Western Region excluding Akoko Oke District in Afenmai Division and Ward and Western Ijaw Divisions in Delta Province’, provided
- That the remaining part of the Western Nigeria shall continue to be a region under the Constitution.
- That a prior agreement shall be reached between the major political parties in the area of the new region on the following matters and that such agreement shall be embodied in the Act of Parliament establishing the new region, namely a) constitution of the new region; (b) constituency delimitation; (c) fiscal arrangement; (d) interim administration; (e) date of first election to the new regional legislature.
- That the rest of the Federation shall simultaneously be divided into the following regions: (i) NORTH EAST, that is, Bornu and Sardauna Provinces (ii) CENTRAL, that is, Ilorin, Niger and Kabba Provinces (iii) MIDDLE BELT, that is, Adamawa, Bauchi, Plateau and Benue Provinces, and southern part of Zaria Province (iv) NORTH-KANO Province, Northern Zaria and Kaduna Capital territory (v) NORTH-WEST – Sokoto and Katsina Provinces (vi) EAST, that is, Old Owerri and Old Onitsha Provinces (vii) CALABAR, that is, Old Calabar Province (viii) RIVERS, that is, Old Rivers Provinces and Western Ijaw Division (ix) OGOJA, that is, Old Ogoja Province’ Mr. Speaker, Sir, the text of the Amendment speaks for itself.
Hitherto, the Action Group had adopted two distinct but co-ordinated approaches to the issue of more states in Nigeria.
