The House of Representatives Committee on Constitution Review has put forward a proposal for the creation of 31 new states across Nigeria, a move that could increase the country’s total number of sub-national governments to 67.
The proposal was revealed on Thursday during a plenary session, where Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, who presided in the absence of Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, read a letter detailing the recommendations of the committee.
According to the committee, chaired by Kalu, the proposed states would be distributed across the country’s geopolitical zones, with North Central getting six, North East four, North West five, South East five, South-South four, and South West seven.
The letter outlined the requirements for the creation of new states, emphasizing that any act of the National Assembly for this purpose must receive at least a two-thirds majority vote from members.
It also stipulated that:
The proposal must have support from the House of Representatives, the relevant State House of Assembly, and the local government councils of the affected areas.
Section 8 of the Nigerian Constitution, as amended, will govern the process, requiring that referendum results from the State Houses of Assembly be submitted to the National Assembly.
Proponents must submit three hard copies of their full memoranda to the Committee’s Secretariat at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja, with additional electronic copies sent to the Committee’s official email.
The committee assured that only proposals meeting the constitutional guidelines would be considered.
The proposed states include:
North Central: Okun, Okura, and Confluence (from Kogi); Benue Ala and Apa (from Benue); FCT State
North East: Amana (from Adamawa), Katagum (from Bauchi), Savannah (from Borno), Muri (from Taraba)
North West: New Kaduna and Gurara (from Kaduna), Tiga and Ari (from Kano), Kainji (from Kebbi)
South East: Etiti and Orashi (as a sixth state in the region), Adada (from Enugu), Orlu and Aba (from Imo and Abia)
South-South: Ogoja (from Cross River), Warri (from Delta), Ori and Obolo (from Rivers)
South West: Torumbe (from Ondo), Ibadan (from Oyo), Lagoon (from Lagos), Ijebu (from Ogun), Oke-Ogun/Ijesha (from Oyo/Ogun/Osun)