As debates rage in Imo State over the controversial Charter of Equity, South-East leaders have taken the conversation national, demanding constitutional backing for rotational governorship to deepen equity and fair representation.
They insist that adopting such measures would address political imbalances that have long fueled agitation in the region.
Imo State remains the only state where the governorship has never been rotated. The Imo Charter of Equity, crafted to introduce rotational governorship from 2027, has since stirred intense debate across the state.
Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State, who spoke at the South-East Zonal Public Hearing on the Review of the 1999 Constitution in Enugu, said rotational governorship should be made a constitutional provision to ensure all senatorial zones have a chance to produce governors.
“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,” Mbah declared.
Represented by the Secretary to the Enugu State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, Mbah further urged gender inclusivity in 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 decision-making processes,” he said.
On the issue of grassroots governance, Mbah called for full autonomy for local government councils to accelerate development. He lamented the current practice where governors appoint caretaker committees in place of elected councils.
“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.
He also pushed for fiscal and legislative reforms that would devolve more powers and resources to states.
According to him, “A true federal system requires that states are autonomous entities with sufficient powers and resources to positively impact the lives of their citizens. The current concentration of power at the centre, a legacy of the military rule, has stifled the growth and development of sub-national entities.”
In his submission, Ebonyi State Governor Francis Nwifuru called for the creation of an additional state in the South-East to bring the region at par with others.
Represented by the Speaker of the Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Mr Moses Odunwa, Nwifuru also advocated 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.
Earlier, the chairman of the South-East Zonal Public Hearing, Peter Nwaebonyi, explained that the hearing was aimed at gathering inputs from the people of the region to shape the ongoing constitutional amendment process. He noted that while some zones have six or seven states, the South-East lags behind with only five.
The public hearing attracted government officials, traditional rulers, NGOs and civil society organisations, all of whom shared their perspectives on how to entrench equity and inclusiveness in Nigeria’s governance structure.
