Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives and Chairman of the Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution, Rt. Hon.

Benjamin Kalu, has stated that none of the 31 requests for state creation in Nigeria met the constitutional requirements.

He made this known on Friday, February 21, during a two-day retreat in Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State. The retreat, held from February 20 to 23, 2025, brought together lawmakers to discuss pending constitutional amendment bills and plan the way forward.

It was organized by the 10th House of Representatives in partnership with the Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC) and supported by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO).

Kalu acknowledged that many communities want new states, but their requests did not meet the legal conditions set by the Nigerian Constitution.

“Although we have received 31 requests for state creation, none of these requests met the constitutional requirements for amendment,” Kalu said.

To give room for more submissions and possible revisions, the committee extended the deadline for state creation requests to March 5, 2025. He also mentioned that the deadline might be further extended if necessary.

“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 face in their efforts to make their voices heard,” he added.

Apart from state creation requests, the House Committee is currently reviewing 151 constitutional amendment bills. Some of these bills have already passed the second reading, while others are still in the early stages.

One major challenge in the review process is duplication—where different lawmakers submit bills addressing the same issue. To streamline discussions, the committee has grouped the bills into different categories, including:

• Federal Structure and Power Devolution
• Local Government Autonomy
• Public Revenue and Fiscal Federation
• Revenue Allocation
• Police and Security Reforms
• Judicial Reforms
• Electoral Reforms
• Gender Issues
• Human Rights
• State Creation

Kalu emphasized that amendments should focus on national interest and legislative importance. To ensure a smooth process, the committee invited the leadership of both the House and Senate Committees on Electoral Matters to collaborate on reforms.

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

As part of the next phase of the constitutional review, the committee has planned public hearings across the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria.

These hearings will allow citizens to share their views on the amendment process. The hearings will take place in:

• North Central: Nasarawa and Niger States
• North East: Borno and Gombe States
• North West: Kaduna and Sokoto States
• South East: Enugu and Imo States
• South-South: Bayelsa and Cross River States
• South West: Lagos and Ondo States

Kalu encouraged lawmakers to carefully review the amendment bills to ensure they reflect the true wishes of Nigerians.

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

He also assured that the constitutional review process would be transparent and inclusive. The committee aims to strengthen Nigeria’s democracy and governance structure.

Executive Director of PLAC, Mr. Clement Nwankwo, praised the committee’s dedication and expressed optimism that it would achieve meaningful reforms.

“We are quite confident that this committee intends to deliver on the mandate that it has set for itself, and it will be a key and great win to see the amendments to the constitution delivered within the timeframe that this committee has set,” Nwankwo said.

He added that his team of consultants had been meeting over the past few months to provide useful recommendations for the committee’s review.

With ongoing efforts, Nigerians are hopeful that the constitutional amendments will bring positive changes and improvements in governance.