Enugu State Governor, Dr. Peter Mbah, has urged the National Assembly to consider the requests of the people of the South East zone in the ongoing constitutional amendment process, asking members to create additional state in the South East geo-political zone to address longstanding demands for equity and inclusion .
He also urged the Lawmakers to establish state police so as to bring security closer to the people and enhance efficiency Governor Mbah called for rotational presidency.to enable parts of the country that have felt excluded to also have that opportunity. “It is a necessary step toward unity and national cohesion,” he said.
The Governor made the call on Friday when he received the South East Zonal Committee on Constitution Review of the House of Representatives, led by Hon. George Ozodinobi, who paid him a courtesy visit at the Government House, Enugu, ahead of the zonal public hearing scheduled to hold at the International Conference Centre on Saturday.
He described the visit as symbolic noting that Enugu had deep-rooted legislative history, with the Eastern Regional House of Assembly, which began sitting in the city as far back as the 1940s.
Applauding the 1999 Constitution review process Governor Mbah said, the process was a reminder that the constitution is about the people, and for the people
According to him, the constitution remains a living document that ought to reflect the collective will and aspirations of the Nigerian people.
He called on the committee to prioritize issues critical to the South East and national development.
“We believe that some items in the constitution should be looked into. For equity and inclusivity, the South East should be accorded an additional state so we can feel that sense of equity and inclusion,” he said.
Governor Mbah also called for women inclusion, affirmative action for women through the creation of additional legislative seats, stressing the need for gender inclusion and equality.
Speaking earlier, the chairman of the committee commended Governor Mbah for his visionary leadership and infrastructural transformation of Enugu State.
“Your achievements are monumental. We follow what you have done in the past two years. Before now, people seemed to be running away from Enugu, but today they are running back to invest. You are walking your talk,” he said.
Hon. Ozodinobi reaffirmed the commitment of the Constitution Review Committee to capturing the genuine yearnings of Nigerians across regions.
“We are here not just for Enugu, but for the entire South East. Issues like state police, state creation, and others will be fully discussed tomorrow, and we are here to listen,” he said, adding that the public hearing would provide a platform for states in the region to make their voices heard.