The House of Representatives Committee on Constitutional Amendment has officially rejected all 31 proposals for new state creation, citing non-compliance with constitutional requirements.
The proposals, which were submitted on February 6, 2025, sparked significant attention from various regional groups seeking to expand Nigeria’s federal structure. However, according to Benjamin Kalu, Deputy
Speaker of the House and Chairman of the Committee, none of the state creation requests met the constitutional provisions stipulated under Section 8 of the 1999 Constitution.
Speaking at a retreat for panel members in Uyo, Akwa Ibom state, Kalu emphasized that although the proposals reflected the regional aspirations of different groups, they failed to satisfy the stringent criteria outlined for state creation in the nation’s constitution.
“The proposals, while reflecting the legitimate desires of various regions, have not adhered to the constitutional requirements for state creation,” Kalu explained.
“Therefore, none of the submissions can proceed to the next stage of consideration.”
Section 8 of the 1999 Constitution lays out the criteria for the creation of new states, including the need for petitions to show broad regional support, approval by a majority of state assemblies, and a national referendum.
None of the 31 proposals followed these procedures, making them technically unviable from the start.
To address the shortcomings, Kalu announced that the committee has extended the deadline for resubmitting proposals to March 5, 2025, and stressed that future submissions must strictly adhere to the constitutional requirements.
“We expect a resubmission that is in strict accordance with Section 8 of the constitution,” he added.
The Deputy Speaker also mentioned that, depending on discussions at the retreat, the deadline could be extended further.
However, he made it clear that the committee would not entertain any proposals that do not meet the constitutional criteria.
“Let this be a notice to all concerned that none of the applications submitted thus far followed the conditions laid out by Section 8 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” Kalu stated.
In addition to reviewing state creation proposals, the committee is currently examining 151 constitutional amendment bills.
These bills cover a range of issues, including federal structure, devolution of powers, local government autonomy, revenue allocation, judicial and electoral reforms, security, gender rights, and human rights.
Kalu highlighted that the committee is taking a comprehensive approach to the review of these bills, with a proactive and cooperative strategy to ensure a smooth legislative process and meaningful legal reforms.
To further involve the public in the amendment process, Kalu announced that the committee would be holding zonal and national public hearings across the six geopolitical zones to gather feedback and ensure transparency.
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