The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has refuted claims circulating online that the National Assembly has approved the creation of 12 additional states.
Raising a point of order during plenary on Tuesday, Senator Abdul Ningi (PDP, Bauchi Central) expressed concern over misleading reports alleging that new states had been established. The Senate President, responding under Order 42 of the Senate Standing Orders, clarified that no such legislative action has been taken.
“We have not even received the final report from the constitutional review committee for deliberation,” Akpabio stated.
He described the viral claims as false and dangerous, citing the increasing trend of misinformation on social media platforms. He stressed that the process of state creation is constitutionally rigorous and requires:
Approval by two-thirds of state houses of assembly
Endorsement by both chambers of the National Assembly
Akpabio warned against the fabrication of official documents and the spread of disinformation, which, he noted, could destabilize national discourse.
“This Senate has not created any new state. The public is advised to disregard such unfounded claims,” he reiterated.
This clarification follows an earlier denial by Senate spokesperson Yemi Adaramodu, who debunked reports suggesting that the legislature had approved as many as 31 new states.
The Senate President concluded by urging Nigerians to verify information from official sources and avoid the spread of unverified reports.
