The Joint Constitution Review Committee of the National Assembly has ratified the creation of a new state in the South-East, raising the region’s total states to six.
The decision was jointly agreed upon at the end of a two-day retreat in Lagos, where lawmakers reviewed 55 proposals for state creation across the country. The South-East, which currently has five states, has long demanded parity with other geopolitical zones that have six or seven states each.
The session was chaired by Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin and co-chaired by Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Benjamin Kalu. Kalu, who has consistently advocated for an additional state in the region, emphasized that the move was rooted in fairness, justice, and equity.
During deliberations, lawmakers unanimously endorsed the proposal. A motion for the new state’s creation was moved by Senator Abdul Ningi (Bauchi Central) and seconded by Ibrahim Isiaka (Ifo/Ewekoro, Ogun State), receiving full support from the committee members.
In a related development, the committee also set up a sub-committee to further assess requests for the creation of additional states and local government areas nationwide. A total of 278 such proposals were submitted for review.
Senator Jibrin urged members to secure widespread support from their colleagues in both chambers and state assemblies to ensure successful passage of the resolutions.
“We must consolidate on this momentum so that all parts of the country buy into the process,” Jibrin said. “By the time voting begins, we should already have the backing of all stakeholders.”
