Imo State governor, Hope Uzodimma and his Abia State counterpart, Dr. Alex Otti, have expressed differing views on the creation of new states as proposed by the constitution review committee.

While Uzodimma called for the creation of additional states in the country and rotation of the Presidency among the six geopolitical zone in the interest of fairness and equity to all Nigerians Otti believe that creation of additional states, especially in the volume in which the demand is coming will be an additional burden on the country.

The two governors spoke at the zonal public hearing of the House of Representatives in Owerri just as the Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu said the people must actively participate in the Constitution review process.

Senator Uzodimma said the governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress were solidly behind the agitation for state Police, while insisting that the creation of additional states for the Southeast will ensure equity and justice in the country.

Uzodinma said “this is democracy at work, and democracy thrives only where justice and fairness prevail,” while commending the National Assembly for its sustained efforts to deepen democracy through periodic constitutional reviews.

According to him, there are differing views across Nigeria about what the constitution should reflect in order to fortify the nation’s democracy. “These perspectives mirror both the richness of our diversity and the inadequacies of a legal framework that often leaves many citizens feeling unprotected or unaccommodated in project Nigeria.”

While opposing the wholesale scrapping of the current Constitution, the Imo governor said “like most constitutions around the world, ours is a work in progress. Let us continue to build on it. There is no perfect Constitution anywhere in the world”.

He said further that the time has come to urgently address issues that have affected the nation with sincerity, and justice, such as the issue of state creation among others.

He said “It bears repeating that the Southeast remains the only geopolitical zone with five states. Every other zone has six or more. This imbalance has led to underrepresentation in critical national institutions, from the National Assembly to the Federal Executive Council. It has shrunk our voice and abridged our inclusivity.

“Therefore, it’s only fair and just that we ask for the creation of at least two additional states in the Southeast. It is my well- considered submission that Anim State should be one of the new states to be created. 

“This is one state that will have an oil-producing status upon creation. This makes it commercially viable with sufficient revenue base to self-sustain. This should naturally go hand in hand with the creation of new local government areas for the zone.

“The second issue is the matter of indigeneship. Our subsisting constitution guarantees every citizen the right to live and work in any part of the country. But in practice, those born and raised in a place where their grandparents may not have originated from are still regarded and treated as non-indigenes.

“That cannot be in tandem with the spirit of brotherhood we boldly recite in our national anthem. We should not be seen to be speaking from two sides of our mouth.

We need to legally define indigeneship by birth or long-term residence – say, ten years. Anyone born in a state or has lived in a state for upwards of ten years should be a legitimate indigene of that state.

“This is common practice in advanced democracies. It was also becoming the norm in our pre-first Republic years, until that Republic was cut short. How else did Mallam Umaru Altine become the Mayor of Enugu in 1952 if not because he was accepted as an indigene of Enugu.

“That tells us something profound about our potential for unity if only the constitution can catch up with our history. I therefore urge this committee to seriously consider this matter as part of the proposed constitutional amendments.

“Third, I wish to call for the constitutional entrenchment of rotational presidency, not along the ambiguous North–South divide, but along our six established geopolitical zones. This is not about tokenism but national stability.

“Already, zoning has helped calm nerves over federal appointments. If Nigerians know that the presidency will rotate among the six zones, it will remove the fear of domination and deepen the sense of inclusion in the country.

“In addition, the time has come for us to take decisive steps on State Police. The current centralised policing structure is overstretched and often disconnected from local realities. As the Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum, I can confirm that we support the decentralisation of the police for greater responsiveness and effectiveness.

“The fear that governors will misuse such a force is unfounded and frankly outdated. We cannot allow the past to paralyse the future when our citizens are crying out for safety and order at the grassroots.

“Our diversity is our strength, not our weakness. But that strength must be harnessed through law and equity. Therefore, our Constitution must reflect our shared values, not just our shared borders”.

On his part, Governor Alex Otti who was represented by his Deputy, Ikechukwu Emetu said the Constitution Review provides an opportunity for Nigerians with a great opportunity to further interrogate the system and evaluate what they need to change to steer their country in the right direction.

He said, whatever political leaning or other convictions one belongs to, the country is for all its citizens to build, adding that the responsibility cannot be transferred to citizens of other countries to do on their behalf.

The governor said while Nigeria may not be the nation of its citizens dreams yet but as it was always learnt from history, nothing is irreversible, adding that at any rate, Nigerians have to appreciate that changes cannot happen in an environment ruled by cynicism, docility and mistrust and Nigerians have to believe again that they are a community of great people, a land with great national heritage.

He added, “I would share my thoughts on some of the key agenda for debates and considerations in the 2025 constitutional review process. As many in this auditorium may know, the positions I would be sharing today have since been documented in my writings and public engagements from the last decade so they are not entirely new ideas.

“I have to, however, add that my personal views should not override the legitimate concerns of other stakeholders who also have a right to disagree or present alternative viewpoints. The most important thing is that all of us deserve to have a say in the process. Thankfully, the platform for that broad engagement has been presented to us through these public hearings.

“My first interest is the clamour for the creation of additional states. I am aware that proposals for the creation of new states were received by the National Assembly prior to this time. While I respect the rights of those who believe that the creation of new states would address concerns of marginalisation and exclusion of some ethnic and religious groups in the current structure in some parts of the country.

“I am more concerned about the additional burden these proposals, if adopted, would add to the lean resources of the nation through the multiplication of administrative costs and further bloating of an oversized bureaucracy. Except we can magically find independent sources of financing the new states outside what currently exists, I do not share the optimism of those promoting the idea of adding new states to the current 36-state structure.

“My recommendation would be the development of an inclusive governance model in the states, one that gives every major clan a say in the allocation of resources, a seat at the decision-making table and the structural leverage to advance their political and economic interests.”

The governor said, Nigerians should be more concerned about improving the economic structure of the states, creating jobs for the young people outside the civil service and make the welfare of the common man a priority.

According to him, the current system is too elite driven to be functional, saying that it is high time ordinary people were placed at the centre of decision making.

On the creation of state police and related matters, Otti argued that the present realities in the land have made it a matter of urgent national priority.

He said, “The current exclusive federal policing system is largely inadequate and has exposed our people to a litany of vulnerabilities over the years. So, I would vote for the creation of state police but with a proviso that standards be clearly defined as it relates to leadership, relationship with federal and other sub-national policing structures, recruitments, accountability and respect for human rights.”

The governor expressed his support for the creation of additional seats for women in the national and state assemblies saying that his endorsement is total.

He noted that, while it would guarantee the inclusion of women in the political process and giving them a say in shaping the character of the Nigerian governance architecture, Otti, however, said, just having women in our legislative assemblies would not achieve the desired impact unless a number of fundamental issues are holistically addressed.

He said, “the internal processes within the political parties have to be strengthened to make for the active participation of women in decision making. The ordinary women, not persons related or affiliated to powerful male party leaders, must be at the centre of the process.

“If we are not careful, we may be creating new opening for men with vested interests to further entrench themselves in the system using proxies. If that happens, nothing in the real sense of it would change in the political fortunes of average Nigerian women.

He acknowledged that there are too many gaps and ambiguities in the 1999 Constitution that are being exploited by different stakeholder groups to advance interests that are not entirely altruistic in scope.

He said, “Even then, I am also cautious when blaming those who left the scene almost 30 years ago for the problems of today. My view is that we now have sufficient governance experience to determine what is not working and make changes as may be relevant from time to time.

“I am aware that since 2010, the 1999 Constitution has undergone 5 epochs of alterations in response to demands for structural changes by Nigerians. Going through the whole 9 yards of constitution amendment at 5 times over a 15-year period speaks to our evolving desire to change our national experience by periodically tinkering with the Supreme Laws of the land. We must congratulate ourselves for not being afraid to test the system and brave the odds to make some much-needed changes”.

Deputy Speaker and Chairman of the House Committee on Constitution Review, Benjamin Kalu said the 2025 constitutional review process has been the most comprehensive and inclusive in the nation’s history, saying “our mandate is clear: to close the gaps in our legal system, strengthen our institutions, and ensure that every Nigerian, regardless of state, status, or gender, is fairly represented and protected under the law”.

While describing the process as a sacred duty which must not be taken lightly, Kalu said since inauguration in February 2024, the Committee had embraced an approach rooted in transparency, broad consultation, and rigorous debate.

The Deputy Speaker said the Committee is currently considering 87 prioritised constitutional amendment bills, each touching on the most pressing issues facing the nation.

He listed the priority areas to include judicial independence and efficiency, electoral reforms which will expand the autonomy of INEC, guarantee timely resolution of election petitions, and explore diaspora voting; security and state policing which will transfer policing to the Concurrent List, enabling state and local government police.

They also include gender and Inclusive governance, especially proposals to create reserved seats for women, ensure gender balance in key commissions, and promote fairness in leadership, fiscal reforms, devolution of power, local government autonomy among others.

Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu has called on the National Assembly to be fair to the state by enlisting the 37 Local Council Development Areas  and granting the state a special status in the constitution.

Sanwo-Olu made the statement at the South-West Zonal Public Hearing of the House of Representatives Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution in Lagos.

Sanwo-Olu, who appreciated the leadership of the National Assembly for holding the public hearing in Lagos, emphasised that Lagos remained an important state in the country.

The governor, represented by his deputy, Obafemi Hamzat, said that it was not fair that the state, which he said carries the burden of many other states, does not enjoy special status.

Further justifying his call for special status for the state, the governor said that Lagos and Kano states were created in 1967, but that in 1991, Jigawa was carved out of Kano State.

The governor said that Lagos had remained the same with 20 local governments while Kano now has 44 LGs while Jigawa has 27 LGs, describing the arrangement as unfair.

“As a nation, we cannot and we should not continue to deceive ourselves. We must be guided by the principle of inclusiveness, equity and justice.

“It is not about emotion, it is about facts and fairness, is that fair, is that right?

“What we are asking is that the 37 Local Council Development Areas we have given birth to since 2000, should be listed in the constitution.

“Can we have a child that is 25 years old without giving them birth certificate? Let us get our birth certificate.

“This issue of special status for Lagos is not a unique thing to Lagos, it is the same in Brazil, Indonesia and others.

“When you move your capital from a place to another, you do not abandon where you left. For me, as a nation, let us be fair to Lagos and everybody,” he said.

He said that the state contested the population figures of the Nigeria Population Commission in the 2006 census in 19 local government areas at the tribunal.

“The tribunal agreed with us on what we raised in 18 local government areas. Let us even agree with the figure, Alimosho LGA in 2006 was given the population of 1, 371, 000 while Bayelsa has a population of 1.67 million,” he added.

Sanwo-Olu highlighted the need for genuine federalism and devolution of powers, state police, electoral and judicial reforms, special seats for women, among others.

Sanwo-Olu added: “We must ensure the security and welfare of our citizens, including crucial discussions around the creation of state police.

“Just for the simplicity of it, state policing is not about semantics, it is about protection  of the people. So, let us have it.”

Bayelsa State governor, Senator Douye Diri, has faulted the endless process of reviewing the 1999 Nigerian Constitution.

Diri, who spoke yesterday in Yenagoa, when he hosted members of the House of Representatives Committee on Constitution Review, expressed concern that successive administrations in the country had not implemented the committee’s recommendations.

A statement by an aide, Daniel Alabrah, quoted the governor as saying that the exercise was becoming a waste of time and resources as every National Assembly session embarked on the same process without the recommendations being implemented.

He expressed hope that the current Federal Government would ensure that the ongoing review reached a logical end.

Diri restated the need for equitable distribution of the country’s resources, and emphasised the injustice to Bayelsa, an oil-producing state making huge contributions to the economy, in having only eight local government areas.

He said for Nigeria to make progress, it must practice fiscal federalism and uphold justice.

His words, “I thank you for choosing Bayelsa to host the zonal public hearing on the review of our constitution.

“I appreciate Speaker of the House of Reps for sustaining this ritual, which I hope will come to an end one day.

“But this is not good for us as a country. We cannot be holding Constitution review and nothing comes out of it. It is becoming a waste of time and resources. I want to believe that this government has what it takes to implement the decisions that will be arrived at this time.

“I was a member of this same committee and nothing happened. But I am hoping that the President we have today, who is a democrat, will implement the recommendations.”

He said the state was in a hurry to develop and that concerted effort of everyone in government had resulted in the steady progress of the state.

He equally faulted those describing Bayelsa as a small state, noting that it is bigger in land mass than about nine other states in Nigeria.

“I do not agree with anybody who refers to Bayelsa as small. Bayelsa is big enough. It is injustice for Bayelsa to have only eight local government areas while others that are not as big have more. Let us stand for one another. This country can only develop when we operate true federalism.”

Earlier, Majority Leader and Deputy Chairman of the House of Representatives Constitution Review Committee, Prof. Julius Ihonvbere, said his Team A, covering Edo, Bayelsa and Delta states, was in the South South zone to consult with people of the three states and hear from them on the areas that needed to change in the Constitution.

According to Ihonvbere, only a transparent and participatory process would guarantee development in Nigeria.

He commended Diri’s leadership style, which he said had brought development to Bayelsa just as he is also providing leadership for the South South region of the country.

He said Governor Diri left an enviable legacy at the National Assembly and as his former colleagues, they were not surprised about his performance in the state.

His words, “Let me thank you for what you are doing in Bayelsa State. Leadership is at the centre of whether a country or state moves forward. You left your legacy in the National Assembly and we are not surprised about the development of your state.

“Your focus and ability to prioritise the development of the people makes us proud of you. You are providing leadership for the South-South and we want to thank and encourage you to keep doing what you are doing.

“This committee represents Edo, Bayelsa and Delta. Our goal here is to deepen consultations and listen to the people in their own zone. We are open to welcome any contribution in any language.

“We believe that with a consultative and transparent approach, we will have a more robust perspective on how people see our Constitution.”

Arogbo-Ijaw demands creation of new state, lament longstanding marginalisation 

The Arogbo-Ijaw people of Ondo State have renewed their call for the creation of Toru-Ebe State, emphasising the need for justice and equity in Nigeria’s ongoing restructuring process.

They reiterated the call on Friday at the public hearing of the House of Representatives Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution, held in Akure, the Ondo State capital.

According to the representative of the Arogbo-Ijaws, Chief Francis Williams, who spoke at the event, the request for creation of Toru-Ebe State is primarily to address some of the oddities and absurdities within the Nigerian Nation State.

Williams said that their longstanding demand for the creation of the new state stemmed from the historical and perceived injustice against the Ijaw ethnic nationality, which cut-across Delta, Edo, and Ondo states.

“I wish to state it clearly from the onset that our request [demand for Toru-Ebe State] is hinged on the complete lack of fairness, justice, equity, and non-compliance with international conventions, law, and declaration concerning the Ijaw Ethnic Nationality within the Nigerian Nation State,” he said.

Williams decried how the indigenous people of the ijaw nation with “over 8,000 years of uninterrupted history in the Niger Delta have been balkanised and rendered politically vulnerable.”

Citing decades of marginalisation, ethnic fragmentation, and denial of self-determination, Williams observed that the development made the Ijaws become permanent minorities in various states.

He also traced the historical trajectory of the Ijaw struggle to the colonial-era decisions that split the Ijaw people between the Eastern and Western regions.

He cited multiple national conventions and conferences from Patani in 1991 to Kaiama in 1993, where calls for the creation of homogenous Ijaw states were made.

Referencing international charters, including the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the group asserted their right to control their lands, resources, culture, and governance structures without external interference.

“We are invoking global declarations and charters to which Nigeria is a signatory. The Ijaw people deserve a state of their own — not just as a matter of political restructuring but as a fulfilment of their right to self-determination.

“As the constitutional review process continues, the Arogbo-Ijaws urged the National Assembly to rise to the occasion and correct historical wrongs by recommending the creation of Toru-Ebe State,” they added.