The Senate Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution has announced plans to evaluate 31 proposals for new states as part of its latest efforts to amend Nigeria’s constitution.
Senator Barau Jibrin, Deputy Senate President and committee chairman, revealed that the proposals will be examined during a two-day zonal public hearing scheduled for July 4 and 5, 2025.
The hearings will run concurrently in six locations: Lagos (South-West), Enugu (South-East), Ikot Ekpene (South-South), Jos (North-Central), Maiduguri (North-East), and Kano (North-West).
In a statement issued on Sunday, Ismail Mudashir, the Deputy Senate President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, confirmed the committee’s commitment to gathering public input on a wide range of proposed constitutional amendments.
According to Mudashir, the committee received state creation proposals from several zones: five from the South-West, South-South, and North-Central; seven from the North-East; six from the North-West; and three from the South-East.
The committee will also examine critical national issues, including local government autonomy, electoral and judicial reforms, state police, and inclusive governance.
One bill proposes making local governments a constitutionally recognized tier of government with guaranteed tenure. Another seeks to establish the National Local Government Electoral Commission (NALGEC), which would independently oversee local government elections.
Lawmakers will also debate two security-related bills that propose creating state police and a state security council to manage internal security at the sub-national level.
In the area of fiscal reform, the committee will review six bills, including one empowering the Revenue Mobilization, Allocation, and Fiscal Commission to enforce revenue remittance compliance and improve the process for revising the revenue allocation formula. Another bill would set a deadline for the president and governors to present budget proposals to the legislature.
Lawmakers will also consider a bill to allocate additional legislative seats for women at both federal and state levels to promote gender inclusion.
A proposal to establish traditional rulers’ councils at national, state, and local levels will also be reviewed to enhance the role of traditional institutions.
Electoral reforms under review include bills that would permit independent candidacy at all levels and allow Nigerians in the diaspora to vote.
The committee will evaluate over 20 judicial reform bills, including those proposing timelines for court judgments and expanded powers for election tribunals.
Some proposals seek to devolve power by transferring items such as labour and shipping from the exclusive to the concurrent legislative list.
Mudashir encouraged citizens to participate actively in the zonal hearings, emphasizing that public input is vital to the constitutional amendment process.
Separately, on June 13, Senator Osita Izunaso (Imo West) confirmed that the Senate is reviewing a bill proposing the creation of ‘Anim State’ from parts of Anambra and Imo. The bill has passed its second reading and currently sits with the constitution review committee.
