The House of Representatives Committee on Constitution Review has announced that it has received proposals for the creation of 31 new states, which would be added to Nigeria’s existing 36 states.
Benjamin Okezie Kalu, the chairman of the committee and deputy speaker of the House, made the disclosure on Thursday during plenary while reading a letter from the committee’s clerk.
Kalu explained that the proposed states include six 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. Among the suggested states are Okun, Okura, and Confluence from Kogi; Benue Ala and Apa from Benue; FCT State; Amana from Adamawa; Katagum from Bauchi; Savannah from Borno; and Muri from Taraba.
Other proposals include New Kaduna and Gujarat from Kaduna; Tiga and Ari from Kano; Kainji from Kebbi; Etiti, Orashi, Adada, Orlu, and Aba from the South East; Ogoja from Cross River; Warri from Delta; Ori and Obolo from Rivers; Torumbe from Ondo; Ibadan from Oyo; Lagoon from Lagos; Ijebu from Ogun; and Oke Ogun/Ijesha from Oyo, Ogun, and Osun.
The committee outlined the criteria for initiating the state creation process, stating that “An act of the National Assembly to create a new state shall only be passed if it is supported by at least a third majority of members from the House of Representatives, the relevant House of Assembly, and the Local Government Council in the proposed area.”
The committee also reminded advocates for the creation of additional local government areas that Section 8 of the Constitution applies to this process.
Furthermore, in line with Section 8.3 of the Constitution, the committee noted that the results of votes from the State Houses of Assembly in a referendum must be submitted to the National Assembly to proceed with the state creation process. Proposals must be submitted in strict adherence to constitutional guidelines, with three hard copies and electronic copies of the full proposals sent to the Committee’s Secretariat in Abuja.
The committee reaffirmed its commitment to following constitutional provisions and will only consider proposals that meet the established requirements.
