SENATOR ANYANWU WROTE TO ORJI UZOR KALU ON SALIENT AREAS FOR REVIEW, AMENDMENT/ PROPOSAL

BY PRINCELY ONYENWE,IMO

AT THE CONSTITUTION REVIEW PUBLIC HEARING, Senator Samuel Nnaemeka Anyanwu has made open, salient areas concerning the South-East Nigeria to be addressed and possibly include in the constitution review. This the senator stated on a letter he sent to His Excellency
Dist. Sen. Orji Uzo Kalu
Coordinator, Constitutional Review Committee,
South-East Geopolitical Zone.

The letter reads:

His Excellency
Dist. Sen. Orji Uzo Kalu
Coordinator, Constitutional Review Committee,
South East Geopolitical Zone

SALIENT AREAS FOR REVIEW, AMENDMENT/ PROPOSAL

As Nigeria is passing through challenges occasioned by insecurity and bad leadership, various ethnic groups are agitating against marginalization, hence the opportunity to lend inputs aimed at correcting, amending, adding and proposing areas of interest to be looked into in the ongoing 1999 constitution Review/amendment.

In view of the above, as a onetime Chairman, Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, I hereby present these points as my position in the ongoing constitution review/amendment.

1. CREATION OF STATE: There is need to create an additional state out of Imo state as one of the oldest states in the South East to be at par with other religions with seven and six states respectively.
2. CREATION OF ADDITIONAL REGION: Out of the six geopolitical zones in Nigeria, it is only the South East that possesses the lowest number of states, local governments and electoral polling booths. There is need for an additional region out of the existing South East as part of measure to quell agitations against marginalization of the zone.
3. REGIONAL POLICING: Creation of regional policing will assist in the fight against farmer/herder crisis and reduce the enormous security tasks/challenges bedeviling the nation at present.
4. DEVOLUTION OF POWER: The Federal Government possesses unlimited powers which form part of the underdevelopment being witnessed at the state levels. Once powers are devolved and each state in a position to handle her internal affairs (including natural resource control), it will be an added advantage for democracy. This will make states independent.
5. SOUTH EAST DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION’s BILL: It is very obvious that this bill was passed by the National Assembly, but the continued denial of Presidential assent is causing ripples and contributing to regional unrest, otherwise, the spate of agitations and call for secession would have been lowered to it barest minimum. Therefore, there is urgent need to give assent to this bill for immediate take-off.

Consequent upon this, Distinguished Senator, members of the review committee and concerned Nigerians, it is my candid opinion that these bullets points be included in the ongoing constitution amendment, as well as proper adherence to the suggestions as a panacea to incessant regional agitations for secession.

9News Nigeria (Owerri)
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