Mbah backs additional state for South-East, advocates rotational presidency, state police

Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State has called for the creation of an additional state in the South-East to address the imbalance in Nigeria’s geopolitical structure and ensure equity among all regions.

Mbah also reiterated his support for the establishment of state police and the adoption of rotational presidency, noting that these reforms would promote inclusivity, improve national security, and strengthen Nigeria’s democracy.

He made the remarks on Thursday while receiving members of the Senate Committee on Constitution Review at the Government House, Enugu, ahead of the South-East zonal public hearing on constitutional amendment scheduled for Friday.

“One of the issues that excites us most is the prospect of state policing,” the governor said. “We have consistently advocated that states should be allowed to establish their own police services, operating alongside the federal police but within clearly defined jurisdictions and responsibilities. Given the rising security challenges across our communities, there is no better time to implement this than now.”

He further noted that the South-East remains the only region in the country with five states, compared to six or seven in other zones, a disparity he urged the committee to address during the current constitutional review process.

“We believe this is an anomaly that should be corrected to give the South-East a fair stake in national representation and resource allocation,” he added.

Mbah also pushed for the inclusion of rotational presidency in the constitution to ensure equitable access to the highest office in the land.

“We strongly believe that adopting a rotational presidency will give every part of Nigeria, including the South-East, a real sense of belonging. We will be presenting our position formally during the public hearing and beyond,” he said.

In his remarks, the Deputy Chief Whip of the Senate and leader of the delegation, Senator Onyekachi Nwebonyi, said the committee was in Enugu to gather the views of South-East stakeholders on the proposed amendments to the 1999 Constitution.

He acknowledged widespread criticisms of the current constitution, especially its military origins and perceived failure to reflect Nigeria’s diversity and aspirations.

“Nigerians have long pointed out that the 1999 Constitution is a product of military rule and does not truly capture the will or interests of all segments of the country,” Nwebonyi said.

“We hope that this engagement will give the people of the South-East an opportunity to address long-standing grievances, particularly regarding the number of states in the region and the sense of marginalisation it creates.”

He assured that the committee would carefully consider all submissions as part of efforts to create a more just and inclusive constitutional framework.