The News Nigeria
Comrade Patrick Abba Moro, a staunch member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), is a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria representing Benue South Senatorial District in the Red Chamber. Moro, a former Minister of Interior was elected as a senator in 2019.
In this interview, Moro spoke on the demands for the creation of additional states, power shift agitation in Benue State and the contention as to which region should produce the president in 2023.
Excerpts:
There are currently a large number of proposals for the creation of more states before the National Assembly. But some observers are of the notion that the requests for additional states is not a good idea at a time when most of the existing 36 states are not economically viable and many of them are finding it difficult to stand on their feet. What is your take on the issue of state creation?
First of all, let me state clearly that the fact that we have 36 states now that are not fully developed shouldn’t foreclose the creation of states. People talk about viability and say, for instance, that some states are not viable. What is the concept of viability? I think that what is paramount in the agitation for state creation is the sensibility of the people. And I hasten to say that when General Yakubu Gowon, the revered former Head of States, created twelve states, it wasn’t predicated on viability. It was essentially to solve a political problem of the secessionist agitation. That was what prompted the creation of twelve states. And once that was done it became obvious therefore that state creation will certainly assuage the fears of domination by minority communities across the country. Then we went on to 19 states, 21 states and now 36 states. And we are still counting. At the moment most of the agitations are anchored on socio-political considerations. The problem of the underdevelopment of Nigeria, for instance, is not the result of the proliferation of states. No! It is predicated on leadership. Now, the federal government is viable. Yes or no? Yet, we have this epilepsy in electricity supply and this problem of lack of drinkable water in more than two-third of Nigeria. Yet, our roads are in a serious state of disrepair and some places nonexistent. Yet, our hospitals are less than mere consulting centres now. Those are signals of underdevelopment. However, you cannot say that Nigeria is not viable. If you have states whose leaders look up excitedly to the day that the federation account committee will meet to distribute funds, how do you expect the states to develop? There is no part of this country now that you will go to that does not have inherent natural resources. You cannot tell me for instance that states like Lagos state, River State, Akwa-ibom, Delta State, Cross River are not viable. What indices of development can you find? Only recently Nyesom Wike is trying his hands on very many developmental activities. There are pockets of development efforts in Akwa-Ibom State. I don’t know much about the other states. But these are states that in addition to federation allocation they also have derivation allocation. Some of them have derivation allocations that are far more than the federation account allocations to some states. What do you find there? Those states are even owing workers salaries…
