Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, has said that none of the 31 requests for more state creation in Nigeria has met the constitutional requirements.
Speaking at a two-day retreat in Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State, Kalu, who also chairs the House Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution, explained that the submission deadline has now been extended to 5 March 2025 to give applicants more time to meet the necessary conditions.
“But this retreat could, in our resolution, extend it further if we find out that there are still challenges that the people we represent in their efforts to make their voices heard,” he said.
The retreat, organised in collaboration with the Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC) and supported by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO), focused on reviewing amendment bills and strategies for the constitutional review process.
Kalu also revealed that the committee is currently working on 151 amendment bills, but duplication of bills remains a major challenge.
To ensure public participation, public hearings will be held across the six geopolitical zones, including Nasarawa, Niger, Borno, Gombe, Kaduna, Sokoto, Enugu, Imo, Bayelsa, Cross River, Lagos, and Ondo states.
He reassured Nigerians that the constitutional review process would be transparent and inclusive, emphasising that the goal is to ensure that any changes made reflect the will of the people.
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