KANO State has thrown its weight behind the creation of an additional state from its current boundaries and the establishment of 26 new local government areas, as part of far-reaching proposals submitted to the House of Representatives Committee on Constitution Review.
Presenting Kano’s position at the North West zonal public hearing of the Constitution amendment exercise in Kaduna on Saturday, Deputy Governor Comrade Aminu Abdulssalam Gwarzo said the moves were necessary to bring governance closer to the people and address rising developmental demands.
He argued that with Kano’s burgeoning population and vast landmass, carving out another state was long overdue, while increasing the number of local governments from 44 to 70 would help deepen grassroots development and participation.
According to him: “Kano identifies with the yearnings of various communities for restructuring and therefore supports the creation of new states, provided such moves comply with Section 8 of the Constitution,” Gwarzo declared. “We also strongly advocate the creation of 26 additional local governments in Kano to meet the aspirations of our people.”
The memorandum, endorsed by Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf and the people of Kano following an extensive consultative process, highlighted how a 22-member stakeholders’ committee mobilised public inputs through radio phone-in programmes and an open parley at the historic Mambayya House, the home of the late Malam Aminu Kano.
According to Gwarzo, the document presented in Kaduna represents a consensus distilled from diverse opinions canvassed by citizens across the state.
Beyond pushing for more local governments and a new state, Kano also demanded explicit constitutional recognition of local government as the third tier of government. It proposed amendments to Section 2(2), Section 7, and Section 162(5) to solidify local government autonomy within a framework of fiscal discipline and alignment with state development plans.
“Kano notes the subtle exclusion of local governments in the existing federal structure. We advocate for reforms that grant them proper constitutional footing, with safeguards for accountability and strategic synergy with state objectives,” the deputy governor stressed.
On security, Kano backed the creation of state police to complement the Nigeria Police in tackling widespread security threats, but called for clear jurisdictional lines and robust inter-agency collaboration to avoid conflicts.
“Kano believes that while state police will close glaring security gaps, there must be defined areas of operational competence between it and the national police,” the memorandum read. It also urged amending the Second Schedule, Part I, Item 45, among other relevant sections, to pave the way for state-controlled policing.
The state equally canvassed enhanced roles for traditional rulers, seeking constitutional provisions that would protect their appointment processes from undue political interference, while leveraging their grassroots influence to promote peace and cohesion.
Kano proposed the establishment of a National Council of Traditional Rulers, made up of chairmen of state councils of chiefs, to advise the Federal Government on national issues.
In the fiscal sector, the state made a bold case for reviewing the revenue sharing formula. It recommended cutting the federal government’s share from 52.68% to 40%, raising states’ from 26.72% to 35%, and increasing local governments’ allocation from 20.6% to 25%.
On gender inclusion, Kano endorsed ongoing National Assembly efforts to secure greater representation for women in both national and state legislatures.
Wrapping up, Gwarzo told the committee that the memorandum was a product of an “inclusive and participatory” process that captures the genuine yearnings of Kano people. “We urge the National Assembly to give our modest proposals favourable consideration so Nigeria can move closer to a constitution that truly reflects the hopes of her citizens,” he added.