The House of Representatives Committee on Constitutional Amendment has rejected 31 proposals for new states, citing failure to meet constitutional requirements. Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu stated that none of the requests qualified for consideration. However, the committee extended the submission deadline to March 5, 2025, for possible revisions.
The House of Representatives Committee on Constitutional Amendment has rejected all 31 proposals for new states, citing failure to meet constitutional requirements. The proposals, submitted on February 6, 2025, were dismissed after a review by lawmakers, signaling a major setback for advocates of state restructuring in Nigeria.
Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, who also chairs the committee overseeing the constitutional review, announced the decision during a retreat in Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State. He stated that while the demand for state creation remains high, none of the proposals met the legal benchmarks necessary for consideration.
The retreat, organized in collaboration with the Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC) and supported by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO), aimed to assess the viability of constitutional amendments. Despite the rejection, the committee extended the submission deadline to March 5, 2025, allowing communities to refine their proposals for reconsideration. Kalu also hinted at the possibility of further extensions depending on the committee’s findings.
Beyond the issue of state creation, the House Committee is reviewing 151 constitutional amendment bills aimed at addressing governance challenges in Nigeria. While some have passed the second reading, others remain in the early stages of consideration.
The rejection of these proposals underscores the complexities of Nigeria’s federal structure and the challenges in altering its governance framework. Communities seeking state creation must meet stringent constitutional requirements before their requests can be approved.
