By Eye Reporters Investigations Desk
A claim circulating widely on social media asserts that the Nigerian Senate has approved the creation of 12 new states across the country’s six geo-political zones. This claim is false.
Investigations by Eye Reporters reveal that while the Senate Committee on Constitution Review has received proposals from interest groups seeking the creation of new states, no official approval has been granted by the Senate or any arm of the National Assembly.
Earlier this month, the Committee announced it had received 31 state creation requests and 18 requests for new local government areas. In response, it organized public hearings on July 4 and 5 across Nigeria’s six geo-political zones to engage stakeholders and review the demands.
However, the widely shared list of 12 “approved” states, including Ijebu, Ibadan, Anim, Adada, Savanna, Tiga, Okura, and others—does not originate from any official Senate resolution or legislative vote.
“There has been no vote, no report laid before the plenary, and no constitutional amendment initiated,” a top official familiar with the Senate’s constitution review process told Eye Reporters.
Under Section 8 of the 1999 Constitution, the process of creating a new state is rigorous and multi-staged. It begins with a formal request supported by at least two-thirds of the elected representatives in the area seeking statehood. This must then be endorsed by two-thirds of local government councils within the proposed area. A national referendum is required, where at least two-thirds of the affected population must vote in favour. Following this, the proposal must secure approval from the Houses of Assembly of the affected states and finally obtain a two-thirds majority vote in both the Senate and the House of Representatives.
As of today, none of these constitutional conditions have been met, and the Senate has not taken any legislative action on the proposals received.
Experts warn that misinformation about state creation could stoke unnecessary ethnic tensions and raise false hopes. “State creation is not something the Senate can just announce; it’s a constitutional matter requiring a national consensus,” said Dr. Hadiza Bala, a political analyst and federalism expert.
So far, the Senate has not issued a formal statement to debunk the viral claims, but multiple fact-checking platforms and legislative sources have confirmed that no new states have been approved.
Nigerians are urged to rely on official gazettes, legislative records, and credible news outlets for accurate information on constitutional developments.
Editor’s Note:
Eye Reporters is committed to fighting misinformation and promoting informed public discourse.
