House of Reps Receives 31 Proposals for State Creation Across Nigeria

By Adamu Aliyu/ABUJA// The House of Representatives Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution has announced the receipt of 31 proposals for the creation of new states across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.

During Thursday’s plenary, Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu read a letter from the committee outlining the conditions that must be met before any state creation request can be approved.

According to the letter, the proposals include:

North Central: Okun, Okura, and Confluence (Kogi); Benue Ala and Apa (Benue); and FCT State

North East: Amana (Adamawa), Katagum (Bauchi), Savannah (Borno), and Muri (Taraba)

North West: New Kaduna and Gurara (Kaduna), Tiga and Ari (Kano), and Kainji (Kebbi)

South East: Etiti, Orashi (proposed as the 6th state in the zone), Adada (Enugu), Orlu, and Aba

South South: Ogoja (Cross River), Warri (Delta), Ori and Obolo (Rivers)

South West: Torumbe (Ondo), Ibadan (Oyo), Lagoon (Lagos), Ijebu and Ogun (Ogun), and Oke Ogun/Ijesha (Oyo/Ogun/Osun)

The committee emphasized that state creation is subject to strict constitutional guidelines, as outlined in Section 8 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

According to the letter, for a new state to be created, a formal request must be:

1. Supported by at least two-thirds of members of the Senate, House of Representatives, and the House of Assembly of the concerned state(s).

2. Approved by a majority of Local Government Councils within the proposed state.

3. Endorsed in a referendum conducted by the affected State Houses of Assembly, with results submitted to the National Assembly.

The committee also reminded advocates for new local government areas that similar constitutional provisions apply to their requests.

All proposals must be submitted in three hard copies to the Committee’s Secretariat at Room H331, House of Representatives, White House, National Assembly Complex, Abuja, with soft copies sent electronically to info.hccr.gov.ng.

The committee reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that all proposals comply with constitutional guidelines before consideration.