Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, has rejected all 31 applications for new state creation, citing failure to meet constitutional requirements.
Speaking in an interview with TVC News, Kalu clarified that none of the applications fulfilled the conditions outlined in Section 8, Subsections 1, 2, and 3 of the Nigerian Constitution, which govern the creation of new states.
Failure to Meet Constitutional Requirements
Kalu, who is also the Chairman of the House Committee on Constitution Review, explained that while the committee has received proposals through member bills and memoranda, none have met the legal framework required.
“We decided to let the people know that, while we have received applications for state creation, none of them have met the necessary requirements,” he stated.
He emphasized that creating a new state requires a strict constitutional process, which includes:
- Approval from a two-thirds majority of the Senate and House of Representatives
- Consent of the State Houses of Assembly
- Endorsement from local government councils
“As we speak, none of these 31 proposals have satisfied these constitutional conditions. That is why we are informing Nigerians that these applications are ineffective,” he added.
Deadline for Resubmission
Kalu announced that applicants have until March 5 to rectify the deficiencies in their proposals. He stressed that there is no alternative to following the constitutional process.
“The Constitution is sacrosanct and must be respected. Those seeking state creation must comply with the required procedures and resubmit their applications within the one-month window provided,” he asserted.
He assured that once the necessary corrections are made, the House of Representatives will reconsider the applications.
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