The House of Representatives Committee on Constitution Review on Thursday, July 4, 2024 unveiled a radical proposal to create 31 new states in the country.
If approved, this would be the biggest state creation since 1996 when six states were added under General Sani Abacha’s regime.
Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu presided over the plenary session and announced the committee’s recommendations, saying they followed the constitutional guidelines in Section 8 of the Nigerian Constitution.
Breakdown of Proposed States
The committee’s plan is not evenly distributed across the six geopolitical zones.
The North Central zone will get six states, Okun, Okura and Confluence from Kogi, while the Northeast and Northwest will get four and five states respectively.
The South East, South-South and South West will get five, four and seven states respectively.
Notable ones are Warri (Delta), Ogoja (Cross River), Ibadan (Oyo) and Adada (Enugu) to address long standing regional demands for equitable representation.
Constitutional Requirements
Creating a new state in Nigeria is a constitutional process.
According to Section 8(3) of the Constitution, proposals must get two-thirds majority of the National Assembly, then approval through referendum in the affected areas. Local government councils and state assemblies must also send in formal resolution.
The committee said submissions that do not meet these requirements or do not have grassroots backing will be rejected.
The committee urged interested groups to submit their proposals physically to the Committee Secretariat at Room H331, House of Representatives, Abuja and electronically to info.hccr.gov.nj.
Also, the committee gave no deadline but urged stakeholders to hurry.
For more information they asked them to call the Committee Clerk on 08069-232381.
Implications and Challenges
This is a big dream, but it raises questions. Nigeria’s 36 states are already struggling with fiscal and administrative problems, many of them relying heavily on federal allocations.
Adding 31 more states may worsen the problems unless there is robust economic planning.
State creation has in the past been used to manage ethnic tensions as seen in 1991 when Edo and Delta states were created. But critics say political motive often trumps developmental goals.
The committee’s proposal is a reflection of Nigeria’s changing governance landscape. While proponents see state creation as a tool for inclusivity, opponents see fragmentation.
As the debate unfolds, it will be the constitutional principles – not political expediency – that will determine the proposal’s legitimacy. For now, Nigeria watches closely, weighing equity against governance.