The House of Representatives Committee on Constitutional Amendment has rejected all 31 proposals for the creation of new states, citing failure to meet constitutional requirements.
Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, who also chairs the House Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution, announced the decision on Friday during a two-day retreat in Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State.
The proposals, submitted on February 6, 2025, were reviewed, but none met the legal criteria for consideration.
“Although we have received 31 requests for state creation, none of these requests met the constitutional requirements for amendment,” Kalu said.
The retreat, organized in collaboration with the Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC) and supported by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO), focused on reviewing constitutional amendment proposals and determining the next steps.
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Despite rejecting the proposals, the committee has extended the deadline for submissions to March 5, 2025, allowing communities to refine and resubmit their requests.
Kalu also indicated that further extensions might be considered.
In addition to state creation, the House Committee is currently assessing 151 constitutional amendment bills aimed at addressing governance challenges in Nigeria.
Some of these bills have advanced to the second reading, while others are still in the early stages.
As the constitutional review process continues, communities seeking state creation must ensure their proposals meet the necessary legal and procedural standards before they can be considered.