Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Benjamin Kalu has said none of the 30 proposals for the creation of new states met the constitutional requirements.
Kalu who is the chairman, House Committee on Constitution Review also said the Green Chamber was not taking a position on the matter.
The chief press secretary to the deputy speaker, Levinus Nwabughiogu said his principal stated this in an interview on Friday when he said the applicants have till March 5, 2025 to bridge the gaps inherent in their requests.
Kalu said the 30 proposals for state creation read on Thursday at plenary session of the House was to inform Nigerians about the number of applications so far received.
The deputy speaker also said the applications are 30 and not 31 was reported based on the committee’s document read on the floor of the House which was obtained by journalists.
He therefore urged the applicants to comply with the constitutional procedures outlined in Section 8, subsections 1 to 3 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), informing that the Parliament is giving the applicants until March 5 to rectify the gaps in their applications.
To create a new state, the Constitution requires a two-third majority vote in the Senate, the House of Representatives, State Houses of Assembly, and local governments.
Kalu said that parliament is committed to following the procedure and is inviting the applicants to resubmit their proposals once they’ve complied with the constitutional guidelines.
He said: “We are the people’s parliament. We are not taking any position on the issue of creation of States. We have heard a lot of people giving different narratives to the letter that was read. Let me clear the dust. During the Ninth Assembly, we received more requests for State creation and some of them came through private member bills. Some came from the memoranda we called for and in this Tenth Assembly, we have received 30, not 31. I think, on that list, they repeated Ibadan State twice. It is 30 that we have received.
“But having received that, in the last assembly, people did not know why their request for State creation did not go through. In this Tenth Assembly, we decided to let the people know that granted, we have received all the applications for new States to be created either through member bills or the memoranda but not conceding that all of them are good enough to be created.
“There are constitutional procedures in section 8 subsection 1 to 3 on how this application should be made. As we speak, none of these 30 proposals have met the requirements of section 8 and that was why we decided to bring it to the notice of Nigerians that your application before us is ineffective. Therefore, you need to comply with section 8 so that when we don’t consider the State creation request, you will know where it emanated from. So, the notice to the public is that you have between now and March 5 to enable you to close the gaps in your application for state creation.
“And if you go to section 8, you will see two-third, the majority of the Senate, that of the House of Representatives, the State Houses of Assembly as well as the local government councils. So, let’s follow that procedure and then present these applications again. We are going to the Newspapers to place public announcements so that those who want new States to be created should follow the guidelines as laid down by the constitutional provisions.
“We are giving them one month which is about March 5 to cure the gaps in the applications. The applications as they are will not be able to fly because we are strict with complying with the dictates of the provisions of the constitution. They should fill in the gaps and bring it back before March 5.
“There is no alternative to compliance with the provisions of the Constitution. The position of the Constitution is sacrosanct. It’s our grand norm. If it says you have to follow certain procedures in line with the rule of law and observe its supremacy, you have to comply with the provision of the Constitution.
Those who are desirous of State creation should comply with the procedures laid down in the Constitution and bring it back. There is a window we have created which is one month. It is sufficient enough for people to cure the gaps in their applications and we will reconsider it.”
