We Received 31 Proposals For State Creation, House of Reps Clarifies

The House of Representatives says it is not proposing the creation of 31 new states, clarifying that it however received 31 proposals for state creation.

A statement issued on Thursday by House Spokesman Rep. Akin Rotimi, Jr. explained that the House Committee on Constitution Review said the 31 proposals were submitted as private member bills, and that these do not represent the official position of the House.

The clarification followed a plenary session where the Deputy Speaker, who chairs the Constitution Review Committee, announced the submissions and outlined the constitutional requirements they must meet.  

“The Committee has reviewed the proposals for the creation of new states in accordance with Section 8(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (As Amended),” he stated. 

“For any proposal to move forward, the process must meet strict constitutional requirements, including support from at least a two-thirds majority of members representing the area seeking the new state in the Senate and House of Representatives, as well as approval from the State House of Assembly and the Local Government Council in the affected area.”  

The Deputy Speaker also addressed proposals for new Local Government Councils, explaining that “in accordance with Section 8(3) of the Constitution, any referendum conducted by State Houses of Assembly must have its results forwarded to the National Assembly before any consideration of such demands.”  
Furthermore, he directed that all proposals must comply with stipulated guidelines and be submitted formally. “All memoranda must be submitted in three hard copies to the Secretariat of the Committee at Room H331, House of Representatives, White House, National Assembly Complex, Abuja, no later than Wednesday, March 5, 2025,” he stated.  

This clarification comes in response to a widely circulated report claiming that the House had formally proposed the creation of 31 new states. The report falsely asserted that the Constitution Review Committee had already endorsed new states across various geopolitical zones, listing them as official proposals.

However, the House made it clear that these are merely requests from different interest groups, subject to legislative scrutiny, stakeholder engagement, and multiple approval stages before any constitutional amendment can be effected.  

The House also emphasised that the Deputy Speaker, in his capacity as Presiding Officer, had only read the announcement as a communication from the Clerk of the Constitution Review Committee, and not as an endorsement of any proposals.

The legislative body reaffirmed its commitment to a transparent and inclusive constitutional review process that upholds due process and reflects the will of the Nigerian people.

Ozioma Samuel-Ugwuezi

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