Senate Lacks Power to Approve New States, Says Spokesperson Adaramodu

Senate spokesperson Yemi Adaramodu has clarified that the Senate currently lacks the constitutional authority to approve the creation of new states. Speaking to journalists in Ilawe Ekiti over the weekend, Adaramodu revealed that while the Red Chamber has received around 61 proposals for state creation from across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, it cannot act on them independently.

He emphasized that the issue of state creation falls under constitutional review, which must involve extensive consultation with the Nigerian public and key stakeholders. According to him, the review process also considers other critical matters, including local government autonomy and the establishment of new local councils.

Adaramodu explained that all state creation proposals gathered during lawmakers’ engagement with their constituents will be submitted to the constitutional review committee, chaired by Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau. The committee will vet and evaluate the requests before presenting its findings to the Senate.

“Creating a state is a complex issue that demands careful analysis of demographic, geographic, and historical data,” he stated, noting that some requests even lack unanimous backing within the proposing states. He concluded by confirming that no state has been recommended for creation yet, and decisions will only follow after a public hearing upon the National Assembly’s resumption.