Why All 31 State Creation Proposals Failed – Deputy Speaker Kalu

The quest for new states in Nigeria faces a major setback as the House of Representatives reveals that all 31 proposals for state creation failed to meet constitutional standards. Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu disclosed this at a constitutional review retreat, citing the need for further submissions. What happens next? Read the full details!

 

The dream of creating new states in Nigeria has suffered a major setback as the House of Representatives, through its Committee on Constitution Review, has disclosed that none of the 31 proposals submitted so far met the constitutional requirements. This revelation was made by Deputy Speaker and Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Benjamin Kalu, during the inauguration of a two-day retreat for committee members in Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State.

 

Kalu confirmed that while there has been overwhelming demand for new states, none of the applications satisfied the constitutional provisions necessary for their approval. As a result, the House has extended the deadline for fresh and revised submissions until March 5, 2025, allowing applicants to fulfill all relevant conditions.

 

“Although we received 31 requests for state creation, none of the requests met the requirements. Thus, we have since extended the submission deadline to the 5th of March 2025,” Kalu revealed.

 

This development has sent shockwaves across the country, particularly among advocates of restructuring and regional autonomy who have long pushed for the creation of more states to ensure better representation and governance.

 

Beyond state creation, the Deputy Speaker also revealed that the House of Representatives has received over 200 bills seeking amendments to the 1999 Constitution (as amended). According to him, these bills reflect the collective desire to refine governance in Nigeria.

 

Currently, the House has 151 constitutional amendment bills before the committee, but recent additions have increased the number to nearly 250. These bills, categorized into thematic areas, focus on key issues such as:

 

Federal Structure and Power Devolution

 

Local Government Autonomy

 

Public Revenue and Fiscal Federation

 

Revenue Allocation

 

Electoral Reforms

 

Judicial Reforms

 

Security and Police Reforms

 

Gender Issues and Human Rights

 

To ensure a smooth amendment process, Kalu announced that the committee will soon embark on zonal public hearings across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones. This will allow Nigerians to provide direct input into the constitutional review process.

 

Additionally, a situation room will be established in collaboration with the Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC) to monitor public engagement and track all amendments. Kalu emphasized the importance of transparency, stating that the situation room would address concerns raised by Nigerians and ensure that all engagements are publicly documented.

 

“Unlike before, let me announce that we will partner with PLAC to open a situation room. A situation room that will be there to take and monitor the operations of various engagements. Questions you cannot address, the Secretariat will move those questions to the situation room where some of us will have access to address all concerns,” he stated.

 

Despite the setback, the window for state creation remains open until March 2025. Advocates of new states are expected to refine their proposals and meet the strict constitutional requirements.

 

The debate on restructuring, federalism, and governance will continue to dominate national discourse as Nigeria navigates the complex process of amending its constitution. Whether any of the proposed states will eventually be created remains uncertain.

 

For now, the House of Representatives remains firm in its stance: any new state must pass through the rigorous legal process outlined in the Constitution before it can become a reality.