No state creation request met constitutional requirements – Reps Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, has said none of the 31 state creation requests received by the House Constitution Review Committee met constitutional requirements.

Mr Kalu, who is the chairman of the committee, stated this in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Levinus Nwabughiogu, in Abuja on Friday.

He spoke at the two-day retreat of the committee in Ikot-Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State.

The deputy speaker said none of the applications met the conditions outlined in Section 8 of the Constitution.

“Although we have received 31 requests for state creation, none has met the constitutional requirements for amendment.

“We have extended the submission deadline to March 5 2025. However, this retreat may consider further extensions if challenges remain.

“At the end of this retreat, we will assess whether to extend the time,” he said.

A major challenge in the review process, he noted, was duplication.

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He explained that some bills addressed similar issues under different sponsors, while others overlapped in subject matter.

To streamline efforts and reduce redundancy, Mr Kalu said the committee had categorised bills into thematic areas.

“The thematic areas include Federal Structure and Power Devolution, Local Government Autonomy, Public Revenue, Fiscal Federation, and Revenue Allocation, Nigerian Police and Security Architecture, Comprehensive Judicial Reforms, Electoral Reforms, Gender Issues and Human Rights, and state creation,” he said.

This categorisation, Mr Kalu stated, would help lawmakers prioritise amendments based on national interest and legislative relevance.

Recognising the link between constitutional amendments and electoral laws, he said the committee had invited the leadership of House and Senate Committees on Electoral Matters to the retreat.

Mr Kalu emphasised that any proposed changes to the Electoral Act requiring constitutional amendments must pass through the committee.

“A proactive, cooperative approach will ensure seamless legislative processes and comprehensive legal reforms,” he added.

Public hearings

The deputy speaker said the committee has scheduled zonal and national public hearings across the six geopolitical zones for the next phase of the constitutional review.

He said, “These hearings will provide an avenue for Nigerians to contribute to the amendment process.

“The hearings will take place in the North-central (Nasarawa and Niger States), North-east (Borno and Gombe States), North-west (Kaduna and Sokoto States).

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“South-east (Enugu and Imo States), South-south (Bayelsa and Cross River States), and South-west (Lagos and Ondo States).”

Will of the people

Mr Kalu called on members of the committee to engage with the bills diligently and objectively in order to ensure the final constitutional amendments reflect the will of the people.

“Ensure the final amendments reflect the will of the people.

“As legislators, we must ensure Nigerians’ voices are reflected in constitutional reforms,” he said.

Mr Kalu reaffirmed his commitment to a transparent and inclusive constitutional review process.

He expressed confidence that the committee’s deliberations would strengthen Nigeria’s democracy and governance structure

(NAN)