“None of the 31 State Creation Requests Met Constitutional Requirements” – Deputy Speaker Kalu

Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt Hon Benjamin Kalu, has announced that none of the 31 requests for state creation in Nigeria have met the constitutional requirements. Kalu, who also chairs the House Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution, made this revelation on Friday during a two-day retreat for committee members in Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State.

The retreat, which runs from February 20 to 23, 2025, was organized by the 10th House in collaboration with the Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC) and supported by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO). The event serves as a platform for reviewing pending amendment bills and determining the next steps in the constitutional review process.

Kalu acknowledged the importance of state creation in Nigeria’s governance discourse and recognized the aspirations of various communities. However, he clarified that none of the applications fulfilled the legal criteria outlined in Section 8 of the 1999 Constitution. In response to this, the committee extended the deadline for submissions to March 5, 2025, with the possibility of a further extension depending on the retreat’s outcome.

In addition to state creation matters, Kalu disclosed that the House Committee is currently reviewing 151 constitutional amendment bills aimed at refining governance in Nigeria. While some bills have advanced to the second reading, others remain at the initial stages. A key challenge identified in the review process is the duplication of bills, with multiple legislators sponsoring similar proposals or overlapping subject matters. To address this, the committee has categorized the bills into thematic areas, including Federal Structure and Power Devolution, Local Government Autonomy, Public Revenue and Fiscal Federation, Nigerian Police and Security Architecture, Comprehensive Judicial Reforms, Electoral Reforms, Gender Issues and Human Rights, and state creation.

Recognizing the intersection between constitutional amendments and electoral laws, the committee invited the leadership of both the House and Senate Committees on Electoral Matters to the retreat. Kalu emphasized the need for a coordinated approach to legislative processes, ensuring seamless legal reforms.

As part of the next phase of the constitutional review, the committee has scheduled Zonal and National Public Hearings across the six geopolitical zones of the country. These hearings will take place in Nasarawa and Niger States (North Central), Borno and Gombe States (North East), Kaduna and Sokoto States (North West), Enugu and Imo States (South East), Bayelsa and Cross River States (South-South), and Lagos and Ondo States (South West). The hearings aim to provide Nigerians with a platform to contribute to the amendment process.

Kalu called on lawmakers to work diligently and objectively on the proposed bills, ensuring that the final amendments reflect the will of the Nigerian people. He reaffirmed the committee’s commitment to a transparent and inclusive constitutional review process, expressing confidence that their deliberations would strengthen Nigeria’s democracy and governance framework.

Executive Director of PLAC, Mr. Clement Nwankwo, expressed his organization’s support for the committee’s work, emphasizing their confidence in its ability to deliver meaningful constitutional amendments within the set timeframe. He noted that consultants have been engaging extensively over the past months to develop recommendations for the committee’s consideration.