The Senate and House of Representatives Constitution Review Joint Committee overwhelmingly approved the establishment of an extra state in the South-East geopolitical zone, bringing the total number of states in the region to six. The decision was made after a two-day retreat in Lagos, when the committee considered 55 ideas for state formation across the country. The Southeast region currently consists of five states. This is fewer than the six or seven that comprise other geopolitical zones.
The session, headed by Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin and co-chaired by Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Benjamin Kalu, deliberated extensively on the subject.
Kalu, along with many other lawmakers who have persistently advocated for an additional state in the region, emphasized that the request was based on principles of equity, justice, and fairness.
Members of the Committee, who unanimously supported the motion, then took turns debating the matter, advocating in favor of granting the Southeast a new state.
After the deliberations, Senator Abdul Ningi (Bauchi Central) moved a motion for the creation of the new state, which was seconded by Ibrahim Isiaka (Ifo/Ewekoro, Ogun State). The committee members unanimously supported and adopted the motion.
In a related development, the joint committee set up a subcommittee to further examine the creation of additional states and local government areas across all six geopolitical zones, noting that it had received a total of 278 proposals for consideration.
In his remarks, Senator Barau Jibrin urged members to mobilize support from their colleagues in the National Assembly and state legislatures to ensure the resolutions are approved during voting.
“We must consolidate our efforts so that every part of the country is fully involved in this process,” Jibrin stated. “By the time we get to the voting stage, we should have already secured the support of all stakeholders—from both chambers of the National Assembly and the State Houses of Assembly.”
