Senator Shehu Buba Clarifies: No New States Created, Public Hearings Still Ongoing on Constitution Review

Amid growing speculation and widespread online reports, Senator Shehu Buba Umar of Bauchi South has firmly debunked claims suggesting that the Nigerian Senate has approved the creation of 12 new states. According to the lawmaker, such reports are entirely baseless and do not reflect the current legislative reality.

Speaking to journalists over the weekend in Bauchi, Senator Buba expressed concern about the rapid spread of false information. He emphasized that the Senate has neither received nor deliberated on any official report proposing the creation of new states or local government areas. The senator made it clear that the legislative body is still in the early stages of reviewing suggestions submitted by citizens as part of the ongoing constitutional amendment process.

The current constitutional review includes public hearings across different geopolitical zones, where Nigerians are encouraged to submit recommendations. Among these recommendations are calls for new state formations and the expansion of local government areas. However, Buba stressed that these are merely suggestions at this point. No final document or decision has reached the Senate floor for approval or even consideration.

He described the reports making rounds on social media and some blogs as misleading and potentially harmful. One such report falsely claimed that 12 new states had been approved, with at least two from each geopolitical zone. According to that viral story, new states like Ijebu, Ibadan, Anim, Adada, Toru-Ibe, Obolo, Savanna, Amana, Tiga, Gurara, Okura, and Apa were supposedly created. Buba firmly refuted the list, stating that it had no grounding in fact and had not been discussed by lawmakers.

The senator went further to clarify that before any public hearing commenced, over 46 separate proposals for new states had already been submitted to the Senate. Among them was the long-standing proposal for Katagum State, which would be carved out of Bauchi. He noted that the absence of Katagum from the alleged list caused concern and confusion among the people of the region, sparking unnecessary tensions.

To reinforce his position, Buba revealed that another senator from Bauchi, Abdul Ningi, had also come out to deny the claims. Both senators assured the public that any legitimate process of state or local government creation would be transparent, constitutional, and widely communicated.

While rejecting the fake news, Buba took the opportunity to advocate once more for the creation of additional local government areas in his senatorial district. He pointed out that areas like Toro, Alkaleri, and Bauchi Local Government Areas are overburdened by population size and landmass. According to him, Toro alone is almost the size of an entire state in Southern Nigeria.

Detailed proposals have already been submitted for the subdivision of these massive LGAs. In Toro, communities have requested the creation of Lame and Jama’a LGAs. Bauchi LGA has seen petitions for new divisions like Galambi, Birshi, Zungur, and Bauchi Munsifa. Alkaleri has put forward names such as Gwana and Yankari. Additionally, Tafawa Balewa LGA communities are advocating for the establishment of Lere North, Lere South, and Bula LGAs.

Buba also mentioned that a technical committee, headed by former Minister of Justice Hon. Ibrahim Umar, has compiled and submitted a report recommending the creation of several new federal wards. This, he said, would further decentralize governance and ensure equitable representation for all communities.

He acknowledged the difficulty of the process, explaining that constitutional changes require collaboration between the National Assembly, state Houses of Assembly, the judiciary, and the President. Despite these hurdles, he insisted that expanding local governance structures is essential to bring government closer to the people.

Nigeria’s population, now estimated to be over 250 million, demands a more responsive and locally grounded administrative system, especially in the northern part of the country. Buba maintained that strategic adjustments to the structure of local government would be a step toward better service delivery and grassroots development.

He ended by urging Nigerians to disregard false narratives and await official communications from credible sources.