Four bills seeking to create additional states in Nigeria have passed the second reading in the House of Representatives, but Adada State was notably absent from the list.

During Wednesday’s plenary, the House also passed 38 other bills focused on amending the 1999 Constitution as part of the 10th Assembly’s ongoing constitutional review process.

The 42 bills, grouped based on their legislative focus, were presented by House Leader, Hon. Julius Ihonvbere and seconded by House Minority Leader, Hon. Kingsley Chinda before being put to a voice vote.

Among the state creation bills that progressed are: “A Bill for an Act to Alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) by amending Part 1 of the First Schedule and Creating Additional Three States Oke – Ogun State, Ijebu State and Ife – Ijesa State and for Related Matters (HB. 1098),” sponsored by Hon. Oluwole Oke.

• “A Bill for an Act to Alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to make provisions for the Creation of ‘Tiga State’ from the Present Kano State with Headquarters in ‘Rano’ and for Related Matters (HB.1308),” sponsored by Hon. Ghali Mustapha Tijani.
• “A Bill for an Act to Alter the Provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) to Create a New State in the South Eastern Region of Nigeria Known as Orlu State and for Related Matters (HB.1430),” sponsored by Hon. Ikenga Ugochinyere.
• “A Bill for an Act to Alter the Provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) to Create an Additional State in the South East Region of Nigeria, Carved from the Existing Five (5) States to be known as Etiti State with Capital at Okigwe and for Related Matters (HB.1998),” sponsored by Hon. George Ibezimako Ozodinobi.

Deputy Speaker, Hon. Benjamin Kalu, who presided over the plenary, conducted a voice vote before passing the bills and referring them to the House Committee on Constitution Review, which he chairs.

The omission of Adada State from the list of proposed new states has raised concerns, particularly among Nsukka residents, where calls for its creation have been ongoing for years.

Adada State is widely advocated as a way to ensure equitable state distribution in the Southeast and provide greater administrative autonomy for the people of Nsukka.

While supporters of the proposed Adada State had expected its inclusion in the constitutional review, it remains unclear whether a separate bill for its creation will be introduced later in the amendment process.

The development follows the House’s earlier passage of 39 other constitutional amendment bills, which have also been referred to the committee for further legislative action.

The House of Representatives has passed for second reading a bill seeking to strip the Vice President, Governors, and their Deputies of immunity from prosecution.

The bill, sponsored by Rep. Solomon Bob, was among 41 other bills that scaled second reading during Wednesday’s plenary session.

It has been referred to the House Committee on Constitution Review for further legislative action.

Explaining the objective of the bill, Bob stated that it seeks to “promote accountability in public office” by eliminating the immunity currently enjoyed by the Vice President, Governors, and their Deputies.

The bill is titled:

“A Bill for an Act to Alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to Qualify the Immunity Conferred on the President, Remove the Immunity Conferred on the Vice President, the Governors and their Deputies, in Order to Curb Corruption, Eradicate Impunity and Enhance Accountability in Public Office and for Related Matters (HB.1664).”

Under Section 308 of the 1999 Constitution, the President, Vice President, Governors, and Deputy Governors are protected from civil or criminal proceedings while in office.

If this bill is passed into law, only the President would retain immunity from prosecution.

INEC Chairman, 

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has officially notified Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the senator representing Kogi Central, of a petition filed by constituents seeking her recall from the National Assembly.

In a letter signed by Ruth Oriaran Anthony, Secretary to the Commission, INEC stated:

“Pursuant to section 69 of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, as amended, I write to notify you of the receipt of a petition from representatives of registered voters in your constituency seeking your recall from the senate.

The notification is in line with the provisions of clause 2 (a) of the Commission’s Regulations and Guidelines for Recall 2024.

This letter is also copied to the presiding officer of the senate and simultaneously published on the commission’s website. Thank you.”

Meanwhile, in an official statement issued on Wednesday, INEC confirmed that it has now received updated contact details from representatives of the petitioners.

Sam Olumekun, INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman of Information and Voter Education, also reiterated the next steps:

“The next step is to scrutinise the list of signatories submitted by the petitioners to ascertain that the petition is signed by more than one half (over 50%) of the registered voters in the constituency. This will be done in the coming days.

The outcome, which will be made public, shall determine the next step to be taken by the Commission. We once again reassure Nigerians that the process will be open and transparent.”

The recall process follows a series of controversies surrounding the senator, including her recent suspension from the Senate for six months over an altercation with Senate President Godswill Akpabio regarding her seating arrangement.

Akpoti-Uduaghan also recently accused Akpabio of sexual harassment.

The petitioners behind the recall effort have cited “gross misconduct, abuse of office, and deceitful behaviour” as their reasons.

However, Akpoti-Uduaghan has denied any wrongdoing, describing the move as a “coordinated suppression” of her voice.

Hon. Ray Ugwu, the member representing Enugu East Rural Constituency in the Enugu State House of Assembly, has launched a free water distribution initiative to provide relief to his constituents facing acute water scarcity.

Through his “Hon. Ray Ugwu Free Water for All Intervention Scheme,” the lawmaker has been delivering potable water to various communities struggling with the impact of the dry season.

His intervention comes as residents grapple with limited access to clean water, a crisis that has worsened in recent weeks due to depleted sources and infrastructural challenges.

The Labour Party lawmaker expressed concern over the suffering of his people, stating that the initiative is a temporary measure to alleviate their hardship while urging relevant authorities to implement lasting solutions.

Speaking at one of the distribution points, Ugwu emphasized the importance of government and private sector collaboration in addressing the perennial water shortage affecting Enugu communities.

“I understand the struggles our people face daily in getting clean drinking water, and this initiative is my little way of easing their burden. However, we need sustainable solutions, and I urge both the state and local governments to prioritize water infrastructure development,” Ugwu said.

A constituent, Mr. Chukwudi Aneke expressed gratitude for the intervention, describing it as timely and impactful.

Some beneficiaries, who spoke to DAILY GAZETTE, lauded Ugwu’s effort, calling on other public officeholders to emulate his gesture.

“This is a huge relief for us. For weeks, we have been buying water at exorbitant prices or trekking long distances to fetch from unreliable sources. Hon. Ugwu has shown true leadership by responding to our plight,” said Mrs. Ifeoma Okeke, a resident of Akpuoga Nike.

Hon. Ray Ugwu

Another beneficiary, Mr. John Eze, praised the lawmaker’s initiative and urged authorities to fix the underlying issues causing the water shortage.

“The government should find a permanent solution to this water problem. We appreciate Hon. Ugwu for stepping in, but we need a long-term fix,” he said.

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has responded to former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, stating that he has no regrets over not being chosen as his running mate in the 2023 election and vowing to oppose his future presidential ambitions.

Speaking through his media aide, Lere Olayinka, Wike dismissed Atiku’s recent remarks about the vice-presidential selection process, insisting that he remains resolute in his stance against the former vice president.

Atiku, in an interview with Adesina Giwa-Osagie, had said he had “no regrets” over his decision to bypass Wike for the vice-presidential slot, instead opting for former Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa.

He explained that the choice was based on recommendations from a PDP committee.

“They said I did not consult widely in 2019 when I picked Peter Obi as my running mate, so in 2023, I told the party to set up a committee to recommend three names,” Atiku stated.

According to him, the committee ranked Okowa as the preferred choice, with Wike in second place and former Akwa Ibom Governor Udom Emmanuel in third.

“So I picked number one,” Atiku added.

In reaction, Olayinka, posting on X, reiterated that Wike harbored no regrets over the decision, asserting that the former Rivers governor played a role in Atiku’s electoral defeat and would continue to ensure his failure in future contests.

“Two years after making the @OfficialPDPNig lose a presidential election it could have won, @atiku is giving reasons he did not pick @GovWike as his running mate and that he has no regrets.

“Someone should tell our serial presidential election contester that Wike also has no regret for ensuring that he failed in the election and will make sure that he fails again and again,” Olayinka wrote.

DAILY GAZETTE recall that the rift between Wike and Atiku dates back to the 2022 PDP primaries, where Wike, after losing the ticket, had expected to be compensated with the vice-presidential slot.

However, Atiku’s decision to choose Okowa deepened the division within the party, contributing to tensions that linger to date.