PARIS OLYMPIC GAMES
Amidst the ongoing debate on the requests for creation of 31 new states, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Benjamin Kalu has dropped a bombshell, saying none of the requests meet the constitutional requirements.
The chairman of the House Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution said this on Friday during a two-day retreat in Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State.
The retreat, jointly organized the Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre and backed by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office, focused on reviewing amendment bills and outlining strategies for the next stages of the constitutional review process.
He said: “Although we have received 31 requests for state creation, none of these requests met the constitutional requirements for amendment.
“Therefore, we have since extended the submission date to the 5th of March, 2025.
“But this retreat could in our resolution extend it further if we find out that there are still challenges that the people we represent in their efforts to make their voices heard. So at the end of this retreat, it will be one of the things we will look into, whether or not we will extend the time.
“But let it be a notice that none of the applications followed the conditions laid out by Section 8 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
Kalu said the House Committee is currently reviewing 151 constitutional amendment bills, noting that duplication was a key challenge in the process.
As part of the constitutional review process, zonal and national public hearings are scheduled to take place across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, with planned sessions in 13 states, including Nasarawa, Niger, Borno, Gombe, Kaduna, Sokoto, Enugu, Imo, Bayelsa, Cross River, Lagos, and Ondo.
He assured that the review process would be transparent and inclusive, emphasizing the need for legislative reforms that genuinely reflect the will of the Nigerian people.
He said: “As legislators, we must ensure the voices of Nigerians are reflected in our constitutional reforms.”
Persecondnews recalls that the House Committee on Constitution Review had on February 16, 2025, received the requests.
The proposal was formally presented to the House through a letter read during the plenary session by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, who stood in for SpeakerTajudeen Abbas.
The proposed six new states for North Central, four in the North East, five in the North West, five in South East, four in South-South and seven in South West.
The proposed new states are Okun, Okura and Confluence states from Kogi; Benue Ala and Apa states from Benue; FCT state; Amana state from Adamawa; Katagum from Bauchi states and Savannah states from Borno and Muri State from Taraba.
Others are New Kaduna and Gujarat from Kaduna State; Tiga and Ari from Kano, and Kainji from Kebbi State; Etiti and Orashi as the 6th state in the South East Adada from Enugu, Orlu and Aba from the South East.
Also included are Ogoja from Cross River State, Warri from Delta, Ori and Obolo from Rivers; Torumbe from Ondo; Ibadan from Oyo, Lagoon from Lagos, Ogun, Ijebu from Ogun as well as Oke Ogun/Ijesha from Oyo/Ogun/Osun States.
Leave a comment