By Parrot Newspaper 
House of Reps Extends Deadline for State, LG Creation Memoranda
By Ricky Awodi
Abuja – The House of Representatives Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution has extended the deadline for submitting memoranda on the creation of additional states and local governments in Nigeria.
This was disclosed in a circular signed by the Deputy Speaker and Chairman of the Constitution Review Committee, Benjamin Okezie Kalu, and released yesterday in Abuja by the Speaker’s Chief Press Secretary, Levinus Nwabughiogu.
According to the circular, the new deadline is now March 26, 2025, instead of the earlier announced March 5, 2025. The extension follows public appeals for more time to submit requests.
Strict Compliance with Constitutional Provisions
The committee emphasized that all submissions must adhere strictly to the provisions of Section 8(1) of the 1999 Constitution (As Amended). The law stipulates that a proposal for state creation must be supported by at least a two-thirds majority of representatives from the concerned area in:
The Senate and House of Representatives
The State House of Assembly of the affected area
The Local Government Councils of the affected area
Similarly, for the creation of local governments, Section 8(3) requires that the results of votes from State Houses of Assembly and a referendum must be forwarded to the National Assembly for legislative action.
Submission Guidelines
The committee directed that all submissions should be made in triplicate to the Secretariat of the Committee at Room H331, House of Representatives, White House, National Assembly Complex, Abuja. In addition, soft copies should be sent to info@hccr.gov.ng.
For further inquiries, proponents were advised to contact the Clerk of the Committee, Wali Shehu. The committee stressed that only proposals meeting the stipulated constitutional requirements would be considered.
This development signals the National Assembly’s continued engagement in restructuring efforts, responding to long-standing demands for more administrative units to enhance governance and development across Nigeria.