House of Reps disclaims 31-State creation proposals, says they are not official
By Kunle Sanni
The House of Representatives has clarified that the 31 proposals for new state creation recently reported in the media do not represent the official position of the legislative body.
The clarification was made during plenary on Thursday, February 6, 2025, by the Deputy Speaker, who also chairs the House Committee on Constitution Review.
According to a statement read during the session, the committee received 31 proposals submitted as private member bills from lawmakers across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.
The proposals include:
- North Central: 5
- North East: 4
- North West: 5
- South East: 5
- South South: 4
- South West: 7
The Deputy Speaker emphasized that the creation of any new state must follow the constitutional requirements outlined in Section 8(1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended). This process mandates an act of the National Assembly, supported by a two-thirds majority of:
- Members representing the affected area in the Senate and the House of Representatives
- The relevant State House of Assembly
- The Local Government Councils in the area
For new Local Government Councils, proposals must also comply with Section 8(3), which requires the results of State House of Assembly referendums to be submitted to the National Assembly for further action.
Reiterating that these submissions are individual proposals and not an official House position, the Deputy Speaker instructed that any further submissions must strictly adhere to the stipulated guidelines. Lawmakers must submit three hard copies of their full proposals to the Committee Secretariat at Room H331, House of Representatives, by Wednesday, March 5, 2025.
The House reaffirmed its commitment to a transparent and inclusive constitutional review process, ensuring that all proposals undergo rigorous legislative scrutiny, including public hearings and stakeholder engagements, before any constitutional amendments are considered.
