To bring the South East into line with other geopolitical zones, Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah has called for the creation of an additional state. Mbah also called for rotational presidency and state police to give every part of the country a sense of belonging as well as ensure the nation is better.
The governor made the call on Thursday in Enugu, when he received members of the Senate Committee on Constitution Amendment, who were on a courtesy visit to him at the Government House.
According to Nigeria's News Agency, the committee members visited prior to Friday's regional public hearing on constitutional amendment. The governor says that the idea of state policing is one thing that really gets us excited.
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“We have fervently advocated that states should establish state police services, similar to the federal police, with clearly defined jurisdictions and operational parameters. “Given the fragilities we have in our various communities, we believe that this is overdue and that there is no better time than now to do so.
“The state police will be a truly welcome development in our constitution. Mbah added, "We also believe that this should be corrected during this process of amendment because the South East is the only zone in the country with five states." He also stressed the significance of the rotational presidency concept.
According to him, we think that will give the South East and every other region a chance at the presidency.
“These are areas we believe are amendable and we will be presenting our position formally in the hearing on Friday and subsequent days,” he said.
Earlier, the Senate Deputy Chief Whip and leader of the delegation, Sen.
According to Onyekachi Nwebonyi, the committee was in the state to solicit the opinions of Southeast Africans for the constitution amendment process. “It goes without saying that the 1999 constitution has received a lot of criticism from Nigerians, including that it is the product of military dictatorship.
“Nigerians also believed that the constitution does not represent the interests of all the segments that make up Nigeria. As a result of these criticisms. There is a need to alter the constitution from time to time.
“We pray that this engagement will give us, the South East people, the chance to right some wrongs caused by the 1999 constitution's position. According to Nwebonyi, "people of South East are crying foul that we are being marginalized in so many areas, especially in relation to the number of states, juxtaposing the same with other geopolitical zones of Nigeria."
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