The National Assembly has opened discussions on sweeping constitutional reforms that could lead to the creation of 55 new states and 278 additional local government areas across Nigeria — a move lawmakers say aims to deepen governance and strengthen representation.
Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau I. Jibrin, who also chairs the Senate Committee on Constitution Review, made this known on Friday at the opening of a two-day joint retreat of the Senate and House Committees on the Review of the 1999 Constitution held in Lagos.
According to a statement by Ismail Mudashir, Barau’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, the retreat marked a key phase in the legislature’s effort to produce “people-centred and timely” amendments that reflect citizens’ aspirations.
“It has been a long journey to bring the Senate and House of Representatives’ Constitution Amendment proposals that cut across several sections and deal with different subject matters,” Barau said.
He explained that the review process — which has spanned two years — involved extensive consultations with stakeholders, institutions, civil society groups, and community representatives.
“We have engaged our constituents through town halls, interactive sessions, and public hearings, harvesting and synthesizing views that culminated in what we have today — 69 bills, 55 state creation requests, two boundary adjustments, and 278 local government creation proposals,” he noted.
Barau urged lawmakers to stay focused and patriotic in their deliberations, expressing confidence that significant progress could be made within the retreat.
“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 that we will deliver the first set of amendments to the State Houses of Assembly before the end of this year,” he added.
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