In what is being described as a landmark step toward a more equitable and inclusive federation, the Joint Committee of the National Assembly on Constitution Review has approved the creation of an additional state for the South-east, alongside two major reforms the institutionalisation of independent candidacy and the creation of one elective seat for women in every state of the federation.
The far-reaching resolutions were adopted during the committee’s closed-door retreat at the Lagos Marriott Hotel, Ikeja, on Saturday.
The meeting, jointly presided over by Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Benjamin Okezie Kalu, brought together one senator and one House member from each of Nigeria’s 36 states to deliberate on key proposals for constitutional reform.
The motion for the creation of the new South-east state which would bring the region to parity with others was moved by Senator Abdul Ningi (Bauchi Central) and seconded by Hon. Ibrahim Isiaka (Ogun State). After extensive debate, the motion received unanimous support, marking what many lawmakers hailed as a long-overdue act of fairness and justice.
The South-east, currently comprising Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo, has long agitated for a sixth state to ensure equal representation with other zones most of which have six states, while the North-west has seven.
Reacting to the decision, Senator Ali Ndume (APC, Borno South) described it as “a long-overdue act of fairness and justice,” adding that “no region should be structurally disadvantaged.” Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, a strong advocate of the reform, said the decision “marks a milestone for equity and inclusion in Nigeria’s federal structure.”
The committee also approved independent candidacy, a historic reform that will allow qualified Nigerians to contest elections without the sponsorship of political parties. Lawmakers said the move would dismantle party dominance, promote merit-based leadership, and strengthen accountability.
Another major decision was the approval of one additional legislative seat for women in both chambers of the National Assembly. If ratified, this would create 36 new Senate seats and one for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), as well as corresponding seats in the House of Representatives — ensuring that every state and the FCT has dedicated female representation.
Nigeria currently records less than five percent female representation in parliament, one of the lowest in Africa. The proposed amendment seeks to correct this imbalance and align the country with global standards for gender inclusion.
To fine-tune the legal details, the committee set up a sub-panel to refine the proposals before presenting them to both chambers for plenary consideration. Once adopted, the amendments will be transmitted to the 36 State Houses of Assembly for concurrence, as required by the 1999 Constitution.
Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau urged members to sustain national consensus and ensure that the proposals secure broad support. “We must ensure that by the time we get to the voting stage, every part of the country has keyed into this process,” he said.
If ratified, the reforms encompassing regional balance, electoral openness, and gender inclusivity would mark one of the most significant overhauls of Nigeria’s constitutional framework since 1999, reshaping the nation’s political landscape for generations to come.
