The Joint Committee of the Senate and House of Representatives on Constitution Review has approved the creation of six additional states.
This was one of the key resolutions reached at the end of the two-day retreat, co-chaired by the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau I. Jibrin, and the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt—Hon. Benjamin Kalu, in Lagos.
The joint committee considered a total of 69 bills, 55 state creation requests, two boundary adjustments, and 278 local government creation requests during the retreat.
During the consideration of the 55 requests for state creation on Saturday, the joint committee unanimously resolved that six additional states be created in the country.
If it passes, it would increase the number of states in the country from 36 to 42.
The resolution reads as follows: creation of one additional state in each of the six geopolitical zones: North West, North East, North Central, South West, South South, and South East.
With the approval, South South will now have seven states; South West seven, South East six, North West eight, North East seven, and North Central seven.
The resolution will form part of the report of the joint committee that is expected to be presented to both chambers of the National Assembly in the first week of November.
A principal officer stated that the resolution on state creation was unanimously supported by all lawmakers from both chambers in the spirit of fairness and equity.
The lawmakers also resolved that a subcommittee be created to identify areas from which the six additional states will be carved.
The Chief Whip of the State, Senator Mohammed Tahir Monguno, chairs the Senate Committee to identify the areas.
A member of the subcommittee from the Northwest assured that the committee will review all 55 requests submitted to the National Assembly to develop the six new state proposals.
“We will meticulously review the 55 requests for state creation to come up with the areas where the six new states will be carved from. We will be fair and just to all the promoters of state creation,” he said.
Innocent Mebiri, Clerk of the Senate Committee on Constitution Review, was unreachable via phone as of the time of filing this report, as his line did not connect.
Setting the tone for the two-day joint retreat of the Senate and the House of Representatives’ Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution in Lagos, he appealed to the lawmakers to work towards attaining the promise made to transmit the first set of amendments to the State Houses of Assembly this year.
The retreat was organised to allow members of the joint committees to review the proposed amendments “clause-by-clause.”
“It has been a long journey to bring the Senate and the House of Representatives Constitution Amendment proposals that cut across several sections and deal with different subject matters.”
“We have been in this process for the past two years, engaging our constituents, critical stakeholders, institutions, civil society organizations and interest groups; in town hall meetings, interactive sessions and public hearings, harvesting and synthesizing views and perspectives which has ultimately culminated to what we have here today – 69 bills, 55 state creations requests, two boundary adjustment and 278 Local Government creation requests,” Senator Barau was quoted in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ismail Mudashir.
As chair of the Senate Committee on Constitution Review, Senator Barau emphasised that they were expected to resolve these issues and make recommendations to their colleagues in both chambers.
