By House of Representatives Denies Proposing 31 New States, Clarifies Legislative Process
The House of Representatives has debunked media reports suggesting that it is proposing the creation of 31 new states, clarifying that the proposals were submitted by private individuals and do not represent the official position of the House.
In a statement released on Thursday by the Office of the House Spokesman, Rep. Akin Rotimi Jr., the House emphasized that it had only received 31 proposals for new states through the ongoing constitutional review process.
These proposals are still subject to rigorous legislative scrutiny and do not indicate a formal endorsement by the National Assembly.
The statement referenced remarks made by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, who chairs the House Committee on Constitution Review (HCCR). During plenary, he outlined the constitutional requirements for state creation under Section 8(1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
According to the Deputy Speaker, any proposal for a new state must be supported by a two-thirds majority of lawmakers representing the affected areas in the Senate, House of Representatives, State House of Assembly, and Local Government Councils.
The proposals must also pass through multiple legislative stages, including a referendum and approval by the National Assembly.
Regarding local government creation, the House reiterated that Section 8(3) of the Constitution requires that results from state-level referendums be forwarded to the National Assembly for consideration.
The House directed that memoranda related to state creation must be resubmitted in strict compliance with constitutional guidelines.
Stakeholders were asked to submit three hard copies of their proposals to the Committee Secretariat at the National Assembly Complex by March 5, 2025.
