State Explosion Looms: Senate Reviews 31 Proposals For New States

The Senate Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution has announced its intention to consider 31 proposals for the creation of new states across Nigeria during its upcoming zonal public hearings.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

According to the committee, the submissions include seven proposals from the North East, six from the North West, five each from the South West, South South, and North Central, and three from the South East geopolitical zones. These proposals will be reviewed as part of a two-day nationwide consultation aimed at collecting input from Nigerians on potential constitutional amendments.

In addition to state creation, the committee will also deliberate on two major security-related bills: one for the creation of state police, and another to establish state security councils to better coordinate internal security at the sub-national level.

Chaired by Deputy Senate President Senator Barau Jibrin, the committee said the public hearings will be held simultaneously in six locations — Lagos (South West), Enugu (South East), Ikot Ekpene (South South), Jos (North Central), Maiduguri (North East), and Kano (North West) — on July 4 and 5, 2025.

Critical national issues to be addressed include local government autonomy, electoral reforms, judicial restructuring, inclusive governance, and state creation, among others.

Ismail Mudashir, Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the Deputy Senate President, revealed that a key proposal under review is a bill that seeks to institutionalize local government councils as a constitutionally recognized tier of government, ensuring their democratic operation and secure tenure.

Another bill calls for the establishment of an independent National Local Government Electoral Commission (NALGEC) to handle local council elections across the country.

In the area of fiscal reform, six bills are up for discussion, including one that would give the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission greater authority to enforce compliance in revenue remittance and distribution, and another to establish a deadline for submission of budget proposals by the president and state governors.

To promote gender inclusivity, the committee will also examine a bill that proposes additional legislative seats for women at both the national and state levels.

For the strengthening of traditional institutions, lawmakers will consider a constitutional amendment to create National, State, and Local Government Councils of Traditional Rulers.

Electoral reforms on the table include a proposal to allow independent candidates to contest elections at all levels and another seeking to enable diaspora voting for Nigerians abroad.

The hearings will also consider over 20 judiciary-related bills, covering areas such as timelines for court judgments and expanded jurisdiction of election tribunals.

In a significant move toward devolution of powers, the committee will assess proposals to transfer certain responsibilities — such as labour and shipping — from the Exclusive Legislative List to the Concurrent List, allowing greater involvement of state governments.

The committee emphasized the vital role of public participation in the constitution review process and called on all Nigerians to engage actively during the zonal hearings.