31 proposed states for creation fall short of constitutional requirements says Kalu
By Msugh Ityokura
The deputy speaker, House of Representatives and chairman, committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution, Benjamin Kalu, has said that the 31 proposed states for creation have fallen short of constitutional requirements.
Kalu spoke Friday, at a two-day retreat for committee members in Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State where members reviewed pending amendment bills and strategized about the next steps in the constitutional review process.
The event which was organized in collaboration with the Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre, PLAC was supported by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO).
Kalu recognized the significance of state creation in Nigeria’s governance discourse, acknowledging that while the requests reflected the aspirations of various communities, they did not meet the legal criteria for consideration.
The committee further extended the submission deadline to March 5, 2025, allowing for further input and possible revisions with a clause for deadline for deadline exteion depending on the retreat’s outcome.
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He also disclosed that the House Committee is currently reviewing 151 constitutional amendment bills, reflecting lawmakers’ efforts to refine governance in Nigeria.
He noted that while some bills have advanced to the second reading, others remain at the first stage.
“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.
