The House received proposals for the creation of 31 new states on February 6, 2025.
However, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, announced that none of the 31 requests for state creation in Nigeria met the constitutional requirements for consideration.
Kalu, who also chairs the House Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution, disclosed this on Friday at a two-day retreat in Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State.
The retreat was organised by the 10th House of Representatives in partnership with the Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC) and supported by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO).
It aimed to assess constitutional amendment proposals and determine the next steps in the review process.
“Although we have received 31 requests for state creation, none of these requests met the constitutional requirements for amendment,” Kalu stated.
Despite this setback, the committee has extended the deadline for submissions to March 5, 2025, allowing communities to revise their proposals.
Kalu hinted that further extensions might be considered depending on the retreat’s resolutions.
Beyond state creation, Kalu revealed that the House Committee is reviewing 151 constitutional amendment bills aimed at addressing governance challenges in Nigeria.
“Some of the bills have passed the second reading, while others are still at the first stage,” he noted.
As the review process continues, communities seeking state creation must meet the constitutional requirements to be considered for approval.
