The people of the South-East have demanded a review of the 1999 Constitution to allow for rotational presidency and full autonomy to local governments in the country.

This was made public at the South-East Zonal Public Hearing on Review of the 1999 Constitution, organised by the Senate on Friday in Enugu.

Speaking during the exercise, Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State noted that the concept of rotational presidency was of paramount importance to the South-East.

The governor said the state believed that 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.

Mbah, represented by the Secretary to the Enugu State Government, Prof. 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 advocate for one additional Senate seat per state for women and two additional House of Representatives seats per state for women.

“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 in decision-making processes,” Mbah said.

The governor also called for institutionalisation of local government councils as a truly autonomous level of government.

According to him, the current practice where state governors appoint caretaker committees for LGs, instead of the council being run by elected representatives, hinder grassroots development.

“We urge the committee to reinforce the 1999 Constitution to ensure the democratic existence of local governments, allowing them to directly access their funds from the National Consolidated Account,” he added.

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.”

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

Nwifuru, represented by the Speaker, Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Mr 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 the civil society organisations.