The people of the South-East have demanded a constitution that allows the rotation of the presidency and grants full autonomy to local governments in the country.

They made the request during the South-East Zonal Public Hearing on Review of the 1999 Constitution, organised by the Senate on Friday in Enugu.

Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State noted that the concept of a rotational presidency was paramount to the South-East.

The governor said the state believed adopting a rotational presidency among the six geopolitical zones would provide every region, including the South-East, a fair chance at the highest office in the country.

Mr Mbah, represented by the Secretary to the Enugu State Government, Chidiebere Onyia, added that the idea would foster a greater sense of belonging and national unity.

“Similarly, we propose that governorship should rotate among senatorial zones and legislative seats among constituencies, ensuring broader representation and participation at all levels of governance.

“To further enhance inclusivity, particularly for women, we propose
legislative seats. We advocate for one additional Senate seat per state for women and two additional House of Representatives seats per state.

“As a state, we advocate for three additional assembly seats per state for women; this measure will significantly boost gender parity and ensure active participation of women in governance and decision-making processes,” Mr Mbah said.

The governor also called for the institutionalisation of local government councils as a truly autonomous form of government team.

“We urge the committee to reinforce the section of the 1999 constitution to ensure the democratic existence of local governments, allowing them to directly access their funds from the national consolidated account,” Mbah said.

The governor equally called for legislative powers, enhancements, and fiscal reforms that would devolve more powers and resources to the states.

He stressed that the current concentration of power at the centre, a legacy of the military rule, had stifled the growth and development of sub-national entities.

“A true federal system requires that states are autonomous entities with sufficient powers and resources to positively impact the lives of their citizens,” he concluded.

On his part, Governor Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi State called for the creation of an additional state in the South-East to make them on par with other geopolitical zones of the country.

Mr Nwifuru, represented by the speaker, Ebonyi State House of Assembly,  Moses Odunwa, also called for reserved political seats for women.

“If a particular seat has been designated for women, all the parties will feature women candidates to fill in the space,” he said.

The public hearing was attended by government officials, traditional rulers, NGOs, and civil society organisations.

(NAN)