The House of Representatives Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution announced today that it has received 31 proposals for the creation of new states across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.
During the plenary session, Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, who presided in the absence of Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, read a letter from the committee outlining the proposals. According to the document, new states are being considered in each zone, with five proposed in the North Central, four in the North East, five in the North West, five in the South East, four in the South-South, and seven in the South West.
The proposals include Okun State, Okura State, and Confluence State from Kogi; Benue Ala and Apa States from Benue; and FCT State. In the North East, the states under consideration are Amana from Adamawa, Katagum from Bauchi, Savannah from Borno, and Muri from Taraba.
In the North West, New Kaduna and Gurara from Kaduna; Tiga and Ari from Kano; and Kainji from Kebbi have been proposed. Meanwhile, the South East could see the creation of Etiti and Orashi as a sixth state in the region, along with Adada from Enugu, and Orlu and Aba.
Proposals from the South-South include Ogoja from Cross River, Warri from Delta, and Bori and Obolo from Rivers. Additionally, Toru-Ebe is being considered as a state spanning Edo, Delta, and Ondo.
The South West has the highest number of proposed new states, with Ibadan from Oyo, Lagoon from Lagos, a second Lagoon state spanning Lagos and Ogun, Ijebu from Ogun, and Oke Ogun/Ijesha from Oyo, Ogun, and Osun.
Deputy Speaker Kalu also outlined the conditions that must be met before any state creation requests can be approved. According to the committee’s letter, Section 8 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, sets out the legal framework and requirements for initiating the process.
The letter, signed by Kalu in his capacity as Deputy Speaker and Chairman of the Constitution Review Committee, states:
This section outlines specific requirements that must be fulfilled to mutate the process of State creation, which include the following, New States and boundary adjustment, etc.
An Act of the National Assembly to create a new State shall only be passed if (a) a request, supported by at least two-thirds majority of members (representing the area demanding the creation of the new State) in each of the following, namely – the Senate and the House of Representatives, (ii) the House of Assembly in respect of the area, and the local government councils in respect of the area, is received by the National Assembly.
Advocates for the creation of additional Local Government Areas are also reminded that Section 8 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), applies to this process.
Specifically, in accordance with Section 8(3) of the Constitution, the outcomes of the votes by the State Houses of Assembly and the referendum must be forwarded to the National Assembly for further legislative action. Proposals should be re-submitted in strict adherence to these stipulations.
Submit three (3) hard copies of all proposals and memoranda to the Secretariat of the Committee al Room H331, House of Representatives White House, National Assembly Complex, Abuja, no later than Wednesday, 5th March 2025. Soft comes must also be sent electronically to the committee’s email address at [email protected].
The Committee remains committed to supporting legitimate efforts that align with constitutional provisions and will only consider proposals that comply with the stipulated guidelines.
