The National Assembly has commenced deliberations on ambitious constitutional reforms that could lead to the creation of 55 new states and 278 additional local government areas across Nigeria.
This development was disclosed on Friday in a statement by Ismail Mudashir, Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin.
Speaking at the opening of a two-day joint retreat of the Senate and House of Representatives Committees on the Review of the 1999 Constitution in Lagos, Senator Barau reaffirmed the legislature’s commitment to delivering “people-centred and timely” amendments.
Barau, who also chairs the Senate Committee on Constitution Review, highlighted that the process has been ongoing for two years, involving consultations with constituents, civil society organizations, and other stakeholders through town halls, public hearings, and interactive sessions.
These engagements have culminated in 69 bills, including requests for 55 new states, two boundary adjustments, and 278 local government creation proposals.
Barau stressed the complexity of the task, noting that lawmakers are expected to deliberate on these proposals and make recommendations to both chambers.
He expressed optimism about meeting the deadline to transmit the first set of amendments to state Houses of Assembly by the end of the year.
“It is not going to be a simple task to achieve within two days, but I believe we can do it, especially as we have promised Nigerians,” he said.
He also emphasized the need for patriotism and unity, urging lawmakers to focus on national interests rather than divisive sentiments.
“We are seated here as one committee. There should be no ‘we’ and ‘them’; we should be guided by the interests of Nigerians,” he added.
Amending the 1999 Constitution has historically been challenging due to the rigorous process, requiring approval from at least two-thirds of the 36 state Houses of Assembly.
Past efforts have often stalled over contentious issues such as state creation, resource control, and devolution of powers.
While the Ninth National Assembly achieved some progress, including passing bills on financial autonomy for state legislatures and the judiciary, other critical proposals, such as state police and local government autonomy, failed to gain consensus
