House Committee Extends Deadline for State Creation Proposals Amid Public Demand
The House of Representatives Committee on Constitutional Amendment has extended the deadline for resubmission of proposals seeking the creation of new states. Initially set for March 5, the deadline has now been pushed to March 26, following public appeals for additional time.
In a statement issued on Monday, Deputy Speaker of the House and Chairman of the Committee on Constitution Review, Benjamin Kalu, said the extension aims to allow proponents of new states to refine their submissions and meet constitutional requirements.
“The House of Representatives Committee on the Review of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (As Amended), wishes to inform the general public, particularly proponents of the creation of additional states in Nigeria, that the deadline for re-submission of legislative proposals that previously did not meet the specified constitutional criteria has been extended on public demand,” the statement read.
Kalu emphasized that all re-submissions must adhere strictly to Section 8 of the 1999 Constitution, which outlines the legal framework for state creation. He further directed that three hard copies of each proposal must be submitted to the committee’s secretariat, while soft copies should be sent to [email protected].
“The committee remains committed to supporting legitimate efforts that align with constitutional provisions and will only consider proposals that comply with the stipulated guidelines,” he added.
The decision comes after the House received 31 proposals for new states on February 6. However, by February 21, the committee had rejected all 31 proposals, citing failure to meet constitutional requirements.
