No state creation request met constitutional criteria — Deputy Speaker

Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, has disclosed that none of the 31 requests for state creation have met the constitutional requirements.

Speaking at a two-day retreat in Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State, Kalu, who also chairs the House Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution, stated that the submission deadline has been extended to March 5, 2025, to allow applicants to fulfil the necessary conditions.

He said, “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.”

The event, organized in collaboration with the Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre and supported by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office, focused on reviewing amendment bills and strategies for the constitutional review process.

Kalu also revealed that the committee is assessing 151 amendment bills, noting that duplication remains a challenge. Public hearings will be held across the six geopolitical zones, including sessions in Nasarawa, Niger, Borno, Gombe, Kaduna, Sokoto, Enugu, Imo, Bayelsa, Cross River, Lagos, and Ondo states.

He assured Nigerians that the review process would be transparent and inclusive, emphasizing the importance of legislative reforms that reflect the people’s will.