The Senate and the House of Representatives’ constitutional review joint committee has approved the creation of a new state in the southeast
The committee unanimously approved the new state at its two-day retreat in Lagos, where the proposals for 55 new states were reviewed
This decision was reached at a two-day retreat of the committee in Lagos, where proposals for 55 new state creations across the country were reviewed. Currently, while other geopolitical zones have six states each, the Southeast has five states.
Benjamin Okezie Kalu, the deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, who was one of the advocates of the bill, said their agitation was based on fairness, equity and justice
Deputy Senate President, Senator Barau Jibrin, and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu co-chaired the session where the proposed new state in the southeast was deliberated upon.
Kalu, along with many other lawmakers, who have consistently agitated for the creation of an additional state from the southeast, reiterated that their demands were based on the principles of justice, fairness and equity.
The members of the committee, after approving the request, later took their time to deliberate on the issue, and spoke in favour of granting an additional state to the southeast.
After the deliberation, Senator Abdul Ningi of Bauchi Central moved another motion for the creation of a new state, and he was seconded by Hon. Ibrahim Isiaka of Ifo/Ewekoro federal constituency in Ogun State.
The motion was unanimously supported and adopted by members of the committee. The National Assembly is currently amending Nigeria’s 1999 constitution, and the creation of new states is one of the key debates.
The chairman of the House Committee on Constitution Review and deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, Kalu, said that the amendment would be completed in December 2025. Since the return of democracy in 1999, no administration has been successful in creating a new state.
However, there has been agitation for the creation of a new state. The southeast has been agitating for a new state, noting that other regions have six states each, while it has five states.
Also, the Senate and the House of Representatives have debated the creation of new states. About 31 new states are under discussion in the Upper Chamber, while seven new states have passed second reading in the Lower Chamber.