None of 31 state creation proposals met constitutional requirements – Deputy Speaker
By Jeffrey Agbo
Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Constitution Review, Benjamin Kalu, has announced that none of the 31 proposals for the creation of new states met the constitutional requirements.
Speaking at the opening of a two-day retreat for the committee members in Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State, on Friday, Kalu — who also serves as Deputy Speaker — revealed that over 200 bills seeking amendments to the 1999 Constitution (as amended) have been received by the parliament.
Kalu emphasised that the large volume of submissions reflects a collective commitment to refining governance in Nigeria. While some of these bills have advanced to the second reading stage, others remain at the first reading.
The retreat’s primary objectives include reviewing the bills, incorporating expert input, familiarising members with the contents of the proposed legislation, prioritising bills based on national interest and preparing for zonal public hearings and a harmonisation meeting with the Senate.
The bills have been categorised into thematic areas, addressing critical issues such as federal structure and power devolution, local government autonomy, public revenue management, fiscal federalism, revenue allocation, electoral reforms and security architecture.
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Kalu stated: “Distinguished colleagues, currently we have 151 House bills before us. But I’m sure these numbers are the last count before the recent additions. My office has been told that there are about 250 constitutional amendment bills that will pass through the House for this committee.”
He also highlighted instances of duplication among the bills either due to overlapping subject matter or multiple sponsorships, stressing the need for harmonisation to eliminate redundancy.
Regarding state creation proposals, Kalu confirmed that none of the 31 submissions met the necessary constitutional requirements. As a result, the committee has extended the submission deadline to March 5, 2025, to allow proponents time to fulfil the relevant provisions.
“Although we received 31 requests for state creation, none of the requests met the requirements. Thus, we have since extended the submission to the 5th of March 2025,” Kalu said.
In a bid to increase transparency and public engagement, Kalu also announced plans to establish a situation room in partnership with the Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC) to track and address citizen concerns throughout the amendment process.
Kalu further disclosed that the committee would soon begin zonal public hearings across the six geopolitical zones to gather input from Nigerians nationwide.
