The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, has declared that all applications for the creation of additional states in the country failed to meet the constitutional requirements outlined for such an exercise.
This was as Kalu, who is also the deputy chairman of the Joint National Assembly Constitution Review Committee, said the committee received 31 requests for state creation.
Kalu, who stated these on Friday, February 21, 2025, at the commencement of a two-day retreat for members of the House of Reps Constitution Review Committee, holding at Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State, however said that none of the applications met the constitutional requirements, thereby prompting an extension of the deadline for submission to March 5, 2025 to enable the applicants to fulfill the relevant provisions.
In the words of Kalu; “Although we received 31 requests for State creation, none of the requests met the requirements. Thus, we have since extended the submission to the 5th of March 2025”.
The Deputy Speaker also announced that a situation room will be opened to collate and address other concerns of Nigerians in the course of the constitution amendment process, urging the lawmakers to ensure that the people are carried along.
He said; “Unlike before, let me announce that we will partner with PLAC to open a situation room. A situation room that will be there to take, monitor the operations of the various other engagements. Questions you cannot address, the Secretariat will move those questions to the situation room where some of us will be having access to address all concerns. This situation room will also ensure that we publish all the engagements.
Kalu also announced that the parliament received over 200 bills seeking the alterations of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria (as emended), adding that the bills reflected the collective commitment to refining governance in Nigeria.
He said that some of the bills are progressing to the second reading stage and others remaining at the first reading at the moment.
Kalu said that the committee’s objectives for the retreat included reviewing bills, incorporating input from consultants, familiarizing members with bill contents, prioritizing bills based on national interest, and preparing for zonal public hearings and a joint/harmonization meeting with the Senate.
He explained that the bills categorized into thematic areas are aimed to addressing a wide range of issues, including federal structure and power devolution, local government autonomy, public revenue, fiscal federation, revenue allocation, and electoral reforms.
According to Kalu; “It is our intention that by the time we are done with our conversation during this retreat, that we progress those bills at the first reading stage for them to be given expedited hearing.
“The thematic areas include: Federal Structure and Power Devolution, Local Government/Local Government Autonomy, Public Revenue, Fiscal Federation, Revenue Allocation, Nigerian Police and Nigerian Security Architecture, Comprehensive Judicial Reforms, Electoral Reforms, Gender Issues, Human Rights, and State creation.
Kalu also said that the committee will soon embark on zonal public hearings within the 6 geopolitical zones of the country.
