The House of Representatives, through its Committee on the Review of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (As Amended), has extended the deadline for the submission of memoranda on the creation of new states and local governments in response to public demand.
Originally set for Wednesday, March 5, 2025, the deadline has now been extended to Wednesday, March 26, 2025.
Rep. Akin Rotimi, Jr, Spokesman, House of Representatives in a statement said ” This extension allows proponents whose previous submissions did not meet constitutional requirements additional time to refine and resubmit their legislative proposals in strict compliance with Section 8 of the 1999 Constitution (As Amended).
*Eligibility and Submission Guidelines*
According to Section 8(1) of the Constitution, a proposal for state creation must be supported by at least a two-thirds majority of elected parliamentarians representing the affected area in:
– The Nigeria Senate
– The Nigeria House of Representatives
– The affected State House of Assembly
– The Local Government Councils of the affected area
For the creation of local governments, Section 8(3) of the Constitution requires that the *outcome of votes by the State House of Assembly* and the *outcome of the referendum* be forwarded to the National Assembly for legislative action.
All proposals must be submitted in both hard and soft copies as follows:
– Hard copies (3 copies) to: The Secretariat of the Committee Room H331, House of Representatives White House, National Assembly Complex, Abuja.
– Soft copies via email to: info@hccr.gov.ng
– Deadline: Wednesday, March 26, 2025
For further inquiries, the public may contact the Committee Clerk at 08069232381.
*Commitment to a Transparent Process*
Speaking on the extension, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, CON, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives and Chairman of the House Committee on Constitution Review, reaffirmed the House’s commitment to a transparent and constitutionally guided process:
“This decision is a direct response to the appeals from Nigerians who wish to have their submissions reconsidered. Our goal remains to facilitate a thorough and constitutionally compliant process that addresses legitimate aspirations for state and local government creation. The Committee will fairly evaluate all submissions that meet the established constitutional requirements.”
The House of Representatives remains committed to upholding democratic principles and ensuring that all legislative processes, including state and local government creation, align with constitutional provisions and the broader interests of the Nigerian people.
