Breaking: House of Reps Rejects Creation of Ogoja State, 30 Others

 The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu, announced on Friday that none of the 31 requests for state creation in Nigeria, including the proposed Ogoja State, met the constitutional requirements for consideration. 

The announcement was made during a two-day retreat held in Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State, from February 20 to 23, 2025.  

The retreat, organized by the 10th House of Representatives in collaboration with the Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC) and supported by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO), aimed to evaluate constitutional amendment proposals and chart a way forward in the ongoing review of the 1999 Constitution.  

Kalu, who also chairs the House Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution, disclosed that despite the high number of requests for state creation, none fulfilled the necessary constitutional criteria. “Although we have received 31 requests for state creation, none of these requests met the constitutional requirements for amendment,” he stated.  

However, the committee has extended the deadline for submissions to March 5, 2025, to allow communities to revise and resubmit their proposals. Kalu hinted that further extensions might be considered depending on the outcomes of the retreat.  

The rejection of the state creation requests has sparked mixed reactions across the country, with proponents of new states expressing disappointment. The proposed Ogoja State, which has been a long-standing demand from the people of the Cross River North Senatorial District, was among the requests turned down.  

Beyond state creation, Kalu revealed that the House Committee is reviewing 151 constitutional amendment bills aimed at addressing governance challenges in Nigeria. “Some of the bills have passed the second reading, while others are still at the first stage,” he noted.  

The retreat brought together lawmakers, legal experts, and stakeholders to deliberate on critical issues affecting Nigeria’s constitutional framework. 

The extension of the submission deadline offers a glimmer of hope for communities pushing for state creation, as they now have an opportunity to address the constitutional gaps in their proposals.