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Review of Nigerian Constitution: South East Demands Rotational Presidency

Published

8 months ago

July 5, 2025

Eric

Residents of the South East geo-political region have demanded a constitution that allows rotational presidency, which also grants full autonomy to local governments in the country.

They made the request on Friday, during the South-East Zonal Public Hearing on Review of the 1999 Constitution, organised by the Senate in Enugu.

Speaking during the exercise, Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State noted that the concept of rotational presidency was of paramount importance to the South-East.

The governor said the state believed that adopting a rotational presidency among the six geopolitical zones would provide every region, including the South-East, a fair chance at the highest office in the country.

Mbah, represented by the Secretary to the Enugu State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, added that the idea would foster a greater sense of belonging and national unity.

“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.

“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 in decision-making processes,” Mbah said.

The governor 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.

“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.

The governor also called for legislative powers, enhancements, and fiscal reforms that would devolve more powers and resources to the states.

He stressed that the current concentration of power at the centre, a legacy of the military rule, had stifled the growth and development of sub-national entities.

“A true federal system requires that states are autonomous entities with sufficient powers and resources to positively impact the lives of their citizens.”

On his part, the Governor Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi State called for creation of an additional state in the South-East to bring the region at par with other geopolitical zones of the country.

Nwifuru, represented by the Speaker, Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Mr Moses Odunwa, also called for 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 South-East Zonal Public Hearing on Review of 1999 Constitution, Peter Nwaebonyi disclosed they they were in Enugu to get the inputs of people of the Southeast as they further amend the 1999 constitution.

He noted that while some zones have 7 and 6 states, the Southeast has only 5 states and therefore advised the people to make contributions.

The public hearing was attended by government officials, traditional rulers, NGOs and the civil society organisations.

Featured

Tinubu Nominates Oyedele As Minister of State for Finance, Moves Anite-Uzoka to Budget Ministry

Published

3 hours ago

March 3, 2026

Eric

A statement signed by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy Bayo Onanuga, has announced that “President Bola Tinubu has nominated Taiwo Oyedele as the minister of state for finance, replacing Doris Anite-Uzoka.

“Mrs Anite-Uzoka will now move to the Ministry of Budget and National Planning, as the Minister of State, her third portfolio in the administration.

“President Tinubu has today conveyed the nomination of Mr Oyedele to the Senate for confirmation in a letter to the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio.

“Until President Tinubu nominated him as a minister, Mr Oyedele from Ikaram, Akoko, Ondo State, was the chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, which overhauled Nigeria’s tax system.

“Mr Oyedele, 50, is an economist, accountant and public policy expert.

“He attended Yaba College of Technology, where he obtained a Higher National Diploma (HND) in accountancy and finance. He attended Oxford Brookes University and earned a BSc in applied accounting.

“He also completed executive education programmes at the London School of Economics, Yale University, the Gordon Institute of Business Science, and the Harvard Kennedy School.

“Mr Oyedele spent 22 years of his working career at PwC, joining in 2001 and rising to become the Fiscal Policy Partner and Africa Tax Leader.

“Mr Oyedele is also a professor at Babcock University in Ogun State and a visiting scholar at the Lagos Business School.”

Featured

Defection: Atiku’s Son, Adamu, Resigns As Adamawa Commissioner

Published

9 hours ago

March 3, 2026

Eric

Adamu Abubakar, the first son of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, has resigned as Adamawa State’s commissioner for works and energy development, days after Governor Ahmadu Fintiri defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress.

Abubakar’s resignation letter, dated 2 March 2026, was addressed to the governor through the Secretary to the State Government. He gave no reason for his departure.

The timing is pointed. Fintiri announced his defection to the APC in a statewide broadcast last Friday, saying his cabinet and the PDP’s state structure had moved with him. Within 24 hours, 22 commissioners and special advisers publicly announced they were following suit. Abubakar, whose father remains one of the PDP’s most prominent national figures, was not among them.

In a statement issued Monday night, Abubakar’s media aide Abdulaziz Jauro said the former commissioner thanked the governor for the opportunity to serve and pledged continued loyalty to the administration’s developmental agenda. He also expressed gratitude to his father “for granting him the moral support and blessing to serve the people of Adamawa State” — a line that, read in context, suggests Atiku was consulted on the decision.

Abubakar said his resignation was not a withdrawal from public life. “This does not mark the end of his commitment to public service,” the statement read, “but rather the beginning of new avenues for developmental collaboration.”

The resignation leaves unresolved the question of whether it reflects a political break with the governor over his defection or a personal decision unconnected to the broader party realignment now reshaping Adamawa’s political landscape.

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DSS Nabs Man over Assassination Attempt on Peter Obi

Published

11 hours ago

March 3, 2026

Eric

Nigeria’s Department of State Services (DSS) has detained a man in connection with the recent attack and alleged assassination threats targeting Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi.

According to AIT, the shooting incident took place on February 24, 2026, in Benin City, Edo State, during a political gathering attended by Obi and several figures from the African Democratic Congress (ADC). The meeting was hosted by former APC National Chairman, John Oyegun. Gunmen reportedly opened fire at the venue, causing panic and forcing attendees to disperse for safety.

According to security sources, shortly after the attack, an individual identified as Udeme Monday Stephen allegedly took to social media claiming responsibility and issuing additional threats against Obi, warning of further violence.

Intelligence officials reportedly initiated swift investigations, employing digital tracing and forensic tools that led to the arrest of the 26-year-old suspect in Rivers State. He is said to be a teacher at a private secondary school in the Eliozu area of Obio-Akpor Local Government Area.

The suspect remains in DSS custody and is expected to face prosecution. The agency reiterated its commitment to responding to credible threats and safeguarding lives and national interests without bias.