Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma, has urged the National Assembly to correct what he described as years of “imbalance and exclusion” against the South-East region.
Speaking at the South-East Zonal Public Hearing on the 1999 Constitution Review for Imo and Abia States held in Owerri, Uzodimma outlined key expectations of the region, top of which is the creation of at least two additional states for the zone.
“The South-East remains the only zone with just five states. Every other zone has six or more,” Uzodimma said.
“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.”
Uzodimma proposed Anim State as one of the new states to be created, highlighting its viability due to oil-producing potential.
“This is one state that will have an oil-producing status upon creation. This makes it commercially viable, with a sufficient revenue base to sustain itself,” he said.
According to him, the creation of new states should also come with the restructuring of local government areas within the region, in line with its growing population and strategic economic potential.
Reflecting on the region’s history, Uzodimma recalled that Owerri once served as the capital of the old Eastern Region before states like Abia and Ebonyi emerged.
“Through our collective efforts, perhaps, we shall soon have more state capitals like Orlu, Aba, Nsukka, and more. I believe that this is the prayer of the entire South-East, and it shall come to pass by the grace of God,” he added.
Rethinking Indigeneship
One of the governor’s boldest proposals was on the controversial issue of indigeneship. He called for a legal redefinition of who qualifies as an indigene, suggesting that birth or a residency of at least ten years should confer such status.
“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 10 years,” he argued. “Anyone born in a state or who has lived in a state for upwards of 10 years should be a legitimate indigene of that state.”
He cited the historic example of Mallam Umaru Altine, a Fulani man who was once the Mayor of Enugu in 1952, to show that Nigeria once accepted such inclusivity. “That tells us something profound about our potential for unity if only the constitution can catch up with our history.”
A Call for Rotational Presidency
Uzodimma also weighed in on the national leadership structure, calling for a constitutional provision to rotate the presidency across the six geo-political zones, not just between North and South.
“This is not about tokenism but national stability,” he said. “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.”
He noted that zoning has already played a stabilising role in federal appointments and believes expanding it to the presidency could foster unity and mutual trust.
The governor didn’t stop there. He called for the establishment of state police, describing the current centralised structure as “overstretched and 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,” he said. “The fear that governors will misuse such a force is unfounded and frankly outdated.”
Uzodimma stressed that security concerns at the grassroots cannot wait for outdated fears. “We cannot allow the past to paralyse the future when our citizens are crying out for safety and order.”
Closing his remarks, the Imo governor appealed to the Constitution Review Committee to let justice, equity, and unity guide their work.
“Our diversity is our strength, not our weakness. But that strength must be harnessed through law and equity,” Uzodimma said.
“Our Constitution must reflect our shared values, not just our shared borders.”
He urged the committee to listen to the voices of ordinary Nigerians across the country: “May you be guided by the hope of millions who seek a Constitution that truly belongs to them, one that ensures fairness, equity, and a level playing field for all.”
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