NIGERIA does not need to create more states, former President Ibrahim Babangida said in an exclusive interview with Vanguard. “State creation is one of the matters that I think is settled,” he said. “I feel that right now we do not need to create more states. Everybody has a state with each state running its own systems within the democratic framework. What we need is more peace in the states.”

While admitting that new states were necessary at a point, he said that political understanding by the power blocs within a state would cater for the interests of the politicians in each State.

“Creation of states has done a lot of good for this country in terms of the development that it helped to ensure in different parts of the country. By 1964, agitations for states (regions) continued after independence. One of the agitations was from Cross River, but that started as far back as 1938, before independence and continued thereafter.

“The military in its wisdom created 12 states in 1967 to address the issues of the ethnic minorities. The agitation did not abate. General Murtala Mohammed created seven more states to bring the number to 19.  The agitations increased. During my time, we added 11 states, and Abacha did six to bring the number to 36. These were all in answers various cries that people wanted their own states,” he said.

According to him, “In terms of satisfying the aspirations of people, state creation did a lot to stabilise the country. Everybody now has a state within the federation with the states running their own systems within a democratic framework. What we need is more peace in the states. I feel that right now we do not need to create more states. State creation is one of the matters that I think is settled.

“The new agitations in the states have everything to do with the rotation of power within each state. If we use my state (Niger) as an example, we have three zones. For the first time Zone A produced the governor, in the working arrangement of the state.

The present governor is from Zone B and we expect the next one to come from Zone C. If the existing States have similar arrangements, everyone will have a chance within the union to participate. If the zoning agreements are followed in the states the cry for geographical carving of states would no longer exist.”

Babangida’s exclusive interview with Vanguard covers every issue – Al Mustapha’s trial, Obasanjo, coups, creation of states, privatisation, Oputa panel, tenure elongation, zoning, and his administration. He speaks with a candour that you will never find elsewhere. Available on our pages from Wednesday 17 August when the General turns 70.