The Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has forcefully rejected widespread social media claims suggesting it has given the green light for the creation of 12 new states, dismissing documents in circulation as entirely fictitious.
Senate Debunks Social Media Reports
Addressing fellow lawmakers on Tuesday under Order 42 of Senate Standing Orders, Senator Abdul Ningi (Bauchi Central) labelled the rumour as fake news. He stressed that the Senate had not debated, approved, or even considered any proposal related to state creation at this time.
“It is imperative to inform Nigerians that the Senate has not, for now, decided on any committee’s report on the creation of states,” Senator Ningi said.
“As a member of the Committee on Constitution Review, I can categorically state that we are yet to receive the reports from the zonal public hearings. We have also not convened to deliberate on any such bill. What is circulating is false, and Nigerians should disregard it.”
Senator Ningi also clarified that the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Constitution Review, who was present during the plenary, confirmed that no such decision or recommendation has been issued.
Senate President Warns Against Misinformation
Reacting to Senator Ningi’s motion, Senate President Godswill Akpabio decried the growing threat of misinformation on digital platforms, highlighting its danger to Nigeria’s social stability and public trust.
“Fake news has become a dangerous trend. I have always said social media, in its current form, is garbage in, garbage out,” Akpabio remarked.
He cited recent incidents where forged documents, such as fake appointment rejection letters, have been widely disseminated and accepted by the public. The Senate President emphasised that the Senate has neither debated nor received the final report of the Constitution Review Committee.
Clarifying the Constitutional Process
Akpabio explained that the creation of new states is a complex constitutional issue requiring multiple layers of legislative scrutiny and broad consensus:
- Any new state proposal must first secure approval from two-thirds of the country’s State Houses of Assembly.
- Only after this can the matter reach the National Assembly for further consideration.
He categorically stated that none of these required steps have been initiated or completed. Images and reports suggesting the existence of committees for newly created states, he said, are pure fabrication.
“No state has been created by the 10th National Assembly. I urge the public to disregard any such claims,” Akpabio concluded.
Senate Urges Public Vigilance
The Senate’s clarification follows a widely circulated fake news report published on 18 July 2025, alleging approval for 12 new states. Legislators now seek to assure Nigerians that the National Assembly remains transparent and that no such states have been created or are under consideration.
Nigerians are encouraged to verify information from credible sources and disregard misleading social media content as the legislative process continues.
