The House of Representatives on Wednesday moved to quash proposals to cede parts of Edo State for the creation of a new Toru-Ebe state, following a Motion of Urgent Public Importance presented by Honourable Omosede Gabriella Igbinedion.
Presenting the motion on the floor, Igbinedion who represents the Ovia Northeast/Ovia Southwest federal constituency told colleagues she was “deeply alarmed” by reports that Communities in Ovia and Ikpoba-Okha local government areas had been earmarked for inclusion in the proposed State.
The lawmaker named several affected riverine communities, including Ughoton, Siluko, Aghamioba, Udo (Okomu), Ekewan, Ikoro, Obazuwa and Ologbo, and described them as “intrinsic parts of the Benin Kingdom, a civilisation with more than 1,200 years of cultural, ancestral and political heritage.”
“We cannot allow the territorial integrity of Edo State to be traded away. Any attempt to cede Edo land without the free, informed consent of its people and without following constitutional processes is unacceptable and dangerous. Edo land is not up for negotiation”, Igbinedion told the chamber.
The lawmaker also urge the House to speak with one voice to protect the State’s history and Sovereignty.
The motion, co-sponsored by Hon. Engr. Esosa Iyawe, Hon. Murphy Osaro Omoruyi and Hon. Chief Dr. Billy Osawaru, cautioned that ceding territory could inflame communal tensions and set a precedent for future unconstitutional claims on indigenous lands.
It called on federal leaders to reject any recommendation that would alter Edo’s boundaries and urged stakeholders in the South-South region to avoid actions that might undermine national unity.
Specifically, the House resolved to: (1) strongly condemn any proposal to cede parts of Edo State for the creation of Toru-Ebe; (2) affirm that no individual, caucus or regional body can offer Edo land without the consent of its people and due constitutional process; (3) call on the President, Senate President and Speaker of the House to reject any recommendation involving Edo territory; (4) urge South-South stakeholders to avoid actions that endanger unity; (5) mandate the Committees on Constitutional Review, Intergovernmental Affairs and State Creation to investigate; and (6) reaffirm Edo people’s commitment to protecting their land and heritage.
Lawmakers stressed that while state creation can be an avenue for development, it must not come at the expense of peoples’ identity or historical rights.
The motion comes in the wake of proposals by Ijaw national groups and other stakeholders for the creation of additional States in the South-South zone, including a Toru-Ebe state, which would, according to proponents, bring together Ijaw clans across parts of Delta, Edo and Ondo states.
The initiative, expressed during recent Constitution-review hearings and public submissions, has rekindled debates over boundaries and ethnic claims in the Niger Delta and neighbouring areas.
Supporters of the proposed Toru-Ebe state argue the move would create a more homogeneous administrative unit for Ijaw communities and address long-standing demands for greater political self-determination.
Opponents, including the Edo lawmakers who backed Wednesday’s motion, however warn that the map advanced by proponents encroaches on historically Benin lands and could provoke communal friction if pursued without broad, consultative processes.
The House directed its relevant committees to investigate the origin, authorship and legal basis of the proposal and to report back with recommendations.
“We are not closing the door on constructive development; we are insisting that any discussion about state creation must be constitutional, transparent and respectful of history and indigenous rights,” Igbinedion said.
Stakeholders in Edo and the wider South-South are expected to react in the coming days as the committees commence their probe.
For now, the House’s resolution places formal parliamentary pressure on national leaders and the constitution-review process to steer clear of any plan that would alter Edo State’s territorial integrity without broad public consent and constitutional sanction.
