By Olatunbosun Obafemi
The Senate says the National Assembly will weigh all critical factors before recommending or approving any request for the creation of new states in Nigeria.
Senate spokesman and Chairman of the Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Yemi Adaramodu, disclosed this at the weekend in Ilawe-Ekiti, Ekiti State, during an interview with the Nigerian Tribune. He revealed that no fewer than 61 formal requests for state creation have been received from across the six geopolitical zones.
According to Adaramodu, who represents Ekiti South Senatorial District, due process will be strictly adhered to before any proposal is considered. “All requests will be reviewed and examined,” he said. “The Constitutional Review Committee, chaired by the Deputy Senate President, Senator Jibrin Barau, will collate, assess, and filter them before submitting a report to the Senate.”
Once the report is ready, the Senate and the House of Representatives will hold a comprehensive public hearing to allow all stakeholders – including those in favour and those opposed – to present their positions. Final decisions, he stressed, will be based on merit and national interest, not on personal or sectional considerations.
“State creation is a serious matter,” Adaramodu said. “It requires scrutiny of demographic, geographic, and historical data. In many cases, even within requesting states, there is no complete consensus. All these factors must be addressed before any recommendation is made.”
He clarified that, at present, no state has been recommended for creation, as the process is still at the preliminary review stage. The Senate will only decide after collating public views at the hearings scheduled for when the legislature resumes.
Adaramodu urged Nigerians – from elders and traditional rulers to youth groups, women’s associations, civil society organisations, professionals, political leaders, and the diaspora – to participate in the process. He assured that the final constitutional amendments, or a new constitution if necessary, would reflect the collective input of all Nigerians.
“Our goal,” he concluded, “is to ensure any constitutional changes serve the best interests of Nigeria and its people.”
