Constitution Review: NASS Joint Panel Endorses Creation Of New State In South East

The Joint Constitution Review Committee of the National Assembly has given its unanimous approval for the creation of an additional state in Nigeria’s South East region, bringing the number of states in the zone to six.

The resolution emerged during a two-day retreat held in Lagos, where lawmakers considered a total of 55 requests for new states across the federation.

At present, the South East remains the only geopolitical zone with five states, fewer than the six or seven that constitute other regions, fueling long-standing calls for balance and fairness.

The retreat was presided over by the Deputy Senate President, Senator Barau Jibrin, with the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, serving as co-chair.

Kalu, who has been a vocal advocate for the creation of another state in the South East, reiterated that the demand is rooted in fairness, equity, and justice.

Lawmakers present at the session threw their weight behind the proposal, agreeing that the move would correct a historical imbalance in the country’s federal structure.

The motion for the establishment of the new state was moved by Senator Abdul Ningi (Bauchi Central) and seconded by Hon. Ibrahim Isiaka (Ifo/Ewekoro, Ogun State). It was subsequently endorsed unanimously by members of the joint committee.

In addition, the committee constituted a subcommittee to further examine the numerous proposals for creating new states and local government areas across all six geopolitical zones. Altogether, 278 memoranda were presented for consideration.

Speaking after the adoption, Senator Barau Jibrin encouraged lawmakers to build consensus within both the National Assembly and State Assemblies to guarantee the success of the process when it comes up for voting.

“We must consolidate on the progress we’ve made so far,” Jibrin said. “Our goal is to ensure that every part of the country feels carried along in this exercise. By the time we reach the voting stage, we should already have the commitment of all stakeholders from both chambers and the states.”