The people of the South-East geo-political zone have demanded a constitution that allows rotational presidency and grants full autonomy to local governments in the country.
The people made the call during the South-East Zonal Public Hearing on Review of the 1999 Constitution.
Speaking during the exercise, which was organised by the Senate on Friday in Enugu, the state governor, Peter Mbah noted that the concept of rotational presidency was of paramount importance to the South-East.
He observed the state believed that adopting a rotational presidency among the six geopolitical zones would provide every region, a fair chance at the highest office in the country.
Represented by the Secretary to the Enugu State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, the governor expressed the view that the idea would foster a greater sense of belonging and national unity.
Mbah 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.
On his part, Governor Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi State called for the creation of an additional state in the South-East to bring the region at par with other geopolitical zones of the country.
The governor, represented by the Speaker of Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Mr Moses Odunwa, also called for reserved political seats for women.
The chairman of South-East Zonal Public Hearing on Review of 1999 Constitution, Peter Nwaebonyi had earlier disclosed that they were in Enugu to get the inputs of people of the Southeast as they further amend the 1999 constitution.
