Nigerians of various ethnic nationalities Wednesday resolved that the country needed a brand new constitution to be formulated by elected representatives which must address the plural nature of the country.
To this end, part of the resolves was to adopt the 2014 national conference recommendations as a working document in the formulation of the new constitution.
They also stated that the resolutions and proposals arising from the summit would be presented to both the presidency and the National Assembly for consideration, adding that its intention was not to confront but to promote constructive collaboration and mutual understanding.
These remarks were made at a national summit organised by The Patriots, led by the former Secretary General of the Commonwealth, Chief Emeka Anyaoku.
Speaking at the opening of the three-day summit in Abuja, Anyaoku stated that Nigeria, “like all successful pluralistic countries around the world, for its political stability and maximal development, its constitution must address its pluralism by being formulated by elected representatives of its diverse peoples.”
He said: “Our present 1999 Constitution as amended is not such. It was not democratically formulated; it was instead imposed on the country through a decree by the military administration.
“And the governance system derived from it is not only non-inclusive but also induces over-expenditure of the country’s resources on administration rather than on capital development. Hence the need for a new Nigerian peoples’ democratic constitution.
“There are also the following equally incontrovertible facts about the current situation in our country:
(i) there is serious insecurity of life and property with kidnappings and killings happening virtually every day in most parts of the country especially in the middle belt, the north-east and the North-west regions where not only huge numbers of life and property are regularly lost, but also farmers are no longer able to go to their farms thereby impacting adversely on the country’s food supply.
“ii Nigeria has become the poverty capital of the world with the levels of poverty and sufferings among the citizens rising instead of diminishing.
“iii the development of the country’s infrastructure is generally lagging behind including especially the health and education facilities which in many cases are no longer fit for purpose.
“iv there is eroding sense of national unity within our pluralistic country that is still struggling to become a nation.
“v there is a palpable mood of hopelessness and lack of confidence in the future among the growing population of our young people.
“vi and overall, the present 36 federating units are obviously incapable of generating and sustaining the pace of national development achieved in the early years of the country’s independence”.
As a panacea, Anyaoku said: “The Patriots are of the view that the incontrovertible facts I have enumerated can be more effectively reversed if our pluralistic country is given a more credible and a truly federal constitution democratically made by the Nigerian people; a constitution that would be in sync with the constitutions of successful pluralistic countries in all parts of the world.
“The constitution from which the system of governance is derived largely determines the character of the people who get elected or appointed to govern the country from the three arms of government.
“It is, therefore, my hope that the deliberations of this summit which has in attendance so many leaders of thought and representatives of the country’s major socio-cultural groups as well as representatives of the important women and youth sections of our society, will produce recommendations on the key elements of the desired new constitution and the process of its actualisation.”
…Daniel
Co-Chairman, Organising Committee 2025 National Constitutional Summit, Senator Gbenga Daniel, in his welcome address said: “Today, we come together not merely as individuals representing various institutions, ethnic groups, or political parties, but as proud citizens united by a common and noble aspiration: to forge a Nigeria that truly works for all its people.
“We gather as a group of patriots, although with differing ideas and perspectives, yet deeply committed to helping shape a Nigeria that we are all proud of.
“This moment marks a significant step in our journey towards unity, progress, and national development. By standing together today, we reaffirm our shared dedication to the ideals of fairness, justice, and equity, which are the foundation of a truly great nation.
“This Summit is a citizen-driven constitutional intervention, stemming from months and even years of relentless advocacy, extensive consultations, and a growing sense of public urgency.
“We are here because the existing structure, established by the 1999 Constitution, has consistently proven to be inadequate in effectively addressing the core issues related to governance, equity, inclusion, and national cohesion.”
“Our agenda for the coming days is ambitious but aims to be straightforward and focused. We will scrutinise vital themes, including: The organisation and structure of the Nigerian Federation, The role and functioning of local governments and traditional institutions.
“Resource control and fiscal federalism, Electoral and judicial reforms, Security concerns nationwide, And the rights and responsibilities of citizenship in a democracy of the 21st century.
“More importantly, we will work diligently to ensure that no voice is too small and that no group is left behind. This summit is multi-generational, spanning different regions, and inclusive of various sectors, truly embodying the Nigeria we aspire to build.
“To our young people, your presence here is a compelling reminder that the future of this nation undoubtedly rests in your hands. To the women, our committed civil society actors, our esteemed traditional leaders, and our revered religious figures—your insights, viewpoints, and contributions are not only valuable but essential to shaping the path forward,” Daniel added.
…Obasanjo’s message
In a goodwill message, former President Olusegun Obasanjo stated that “a nation’s Constitution as the fundamental law must reflect the history, the constituents and the aspiration of its people.
The former president noted that “It (constitution) must be sacrosanct. From my experience in operating our Constitution, I will be the first to point out some areas of our Constitution that need amendment. However, for me, no Constitution can ever be regarded as perfect.
“But whatever the strength or weakness of a Constitution, the most important issue to my own understanding and experience are the operators of the Constitution.
“The best Constitution can be perverted and distorted by the operators and we have experienced that all over Africa, Nigeria not exempted. I am more concerned about the operators of the Constitution to lead in good governance and promotion of welfare and well-being of the citizenry.
“No matter what you do to Nigerian Constitution, if the operators of the Nigerian Constitution for the past one decade and a half remain unchanged and continue in the same manner, the welfare and well-being of Nigerians will continue to be sacrificed on the altar of selfishness, self-centeredness, corruption, impunity, and total disregard of the Constitution, decency, morality, integrity and honesty.
“At this crucial time, the operators matter more and the searchlight should be on them. When we get the right operators, they will give us the amended or new Constitution close to what we need to make every Nigerian a proud stakeholder in the Project Nigeria”.