By Barth Ikiebe with agency reports
The Nigerian Political Summit Group and the Patriots have canvassed for a new constitution and better leadership in Nigeria.
The groups made the call on Wednesday in their various submissions at the National Summit on the Future of Nigeria’s Constitutional Democracy, held in Abuja.
The summit, convened by the Nigeria Political Summit Group in partnership with The Patriots, seeks to draft a new constitution that could help reposition the nation.
The Patriots, led by the former Commonwealth Secretary General, Chief Emeka Anyaoku and former Akwa Ibom State Governor, Victor Attah, had stressed the need for Nigeria to adopt a credible constitution.
They stressed that only a credible constitution would help the country tackle insecurity, economic hardship, and infrastructure challenges.
However, Obasanjo, in a letter to the Chairman of the National Summit, Anyaoku, said he was more concerned about those who operate the constitution than the need for a new one, emphasising good governance and citizens’ welfare.
In his letter read at the event, Obasanjo said, regardless of a constitution’s strengths or weaknesses, the key issue, in his view and experience, lay with those who operated it.
The former President stated, “Let me wish you and the other patriots success in your deliberation on the constitution to which you have invited me. Unfortunately, I have another appointment which prevents me from being able to be physically with you.
“But as we discussed on the telephone, a nation’s Constitution as the fundamental law must reflect the history, the constituents and the aspirations of its people.
“It 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 understanding and experience, is the operator of the constitution.”
He pointed out that even the best constitution could be manipulated and misused by its operators, a reality witnessed across Africa, including in Nigeria.
Obasanjo added, “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-centeredress, 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.”
Anyaoku, defending the need for a new constitution, stated, “In organising this national summit, The Patriots are of the view that any controversial fact that I have mentioned can be more effectively reversed if our pluralistic country is given a more credible and truly better constitution, democratically made by the Nigerian people.
“A constitution that would be in sync with the Constitution of the United States—a constitution of successful pluralistic countries around the world.
“To those who say that the fate of a country depends primarily on its leadership, I say that 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 the government.”
Anyaoku, who doubles as the chairman of the summit, further noted that the current 1999 Constitution, even as amended, was imposed on the nation by the military regime.
He stated, “First, Nigeria is a pluralistic country, and like all successful pluralistic countries around the world, for its stability and maximal development, its constitution must address its problems.
“Second, it must address its pluralism by being formulated by elected representatives of its diverse people.
“Our present 1999 Constitution, as amended, is not such a constitution. 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-expectation of the nation’s resources on administration rather than on capital development.”
He emphasised the necessity for a new constitution, stressing that it was a decision that must be made by the Nigerian people themselves.
Anyaoku added that, “There are also equally incontrovertible facts about the current state-of-the-art crisis and the political situation in Nigeria.
“First, 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 Northeast, and the Northwest regions—where not only huge numbers of lives and property are regularly lost, but also farmers are no longer able to go to their farms, thereby impacting adversely on the country.
“Secondly, Nigeria has become the poverty capital of the world, with the levels of poverty and suffering among the citizens rising rather than diminishing. And thirdly, the development of poverty in the country has become a source of poverty in the country.
“The country’s infrastructure is generally lagging, especially in health and education facilities, which in many cases are no longer fit for purpose. Importantly, there is an eroding sense of national unity.
“We are a pluralistic country that is still struggling to become a nation. Again, there is a palpable mood of hopelessness and lack of confidence in the future among the growing population of our young people. And overall, the President’s 36 federation units are obviously incapable of generating and sustaining the pace of national development achieved in the early years of our independence under the 1963 Constitution.”
He expressed hope that the summit would produce recommendations on the key elements of the desired new constitution and the process of its actualisation.
Former Secretary-General of the Commonwealth added, “The key elements, I hope, that will be discussed should include such questions as: presidential or parliamentary system, tenure and rotation of the heads of government at the national and subnational levels, unicameral or bicameral legislature, normative federating units, powers of the national and the subnational governments, structure of the security agencies, political parties and their organization, management of the country’s resources, and indeed other important features of the constitution.
“And in considering the process of actualising the new constitution, I hope there will be new emphasis on ensuring that it is consolidated by representatives specifically elected for that purpose by the Nigerian people who, to give it legitimacy, would have to endorse it in a national referendum.”
In his remarks, Attah stated that the 1999 Constitution did not reflect the will of the people, describing it as a military decree imposed without public consent.
He stated, “Let us speak frankly. Our federation is in distress. Our democracy is in disrepute. And our people, the very source of power in any true republic, have become totally disenfranchised and therefore disillusioned, detached and alienated.
“We, from the South-South region, join other zones across this country who now agree that this union is not working as it is. It can only be sustained if it is restructured based on equity, justice and mutual consent.
“The 1999 Constitution was not a people’s constitution. It was a military decree, imposed without the consent of the people. The military suspended the 1963 Constitution, which remains the last legal expression of our people’s collective will and agreed terms and conditions for staying together.
“That constitution was suspended; it was never repealed, proscribed or abrogated. At the end, rather than lift the suspension and restore our legitimate constitution, it was instead replaced with a fraudulent document that begins with the lie: ‘We the people…’
“This document was not even submitted to the National Assembly for adoption or ratification before it was put into use. The people of Nigeria were not consulted; we did not consent; it was foisted on us, and our sovereignty was stolen.”
The former governor argued that the current political system was flawed, as election outcomes were often decided through undemocratic methods rather than the ballot.
He described the democratic process as elite authoritarianism disguised with minimal democratic features.
He stressed that a new constitution must establish true federalism by ensuring substantial autonomy for the federating units.
Attah continued, “Sovereignty must return to the people.
We must get rid of this unitary system and reinstate the federal system of governance that our founding fathers had agreed to.
“True federalism must guarantee maximum autonomy to the federating units. The cost of politics must be brought down to open space for inclusiveness and real leadership. Unicameral legislature with ministers appointed only from elected representatives.
“Real mechanisms for accountability, recall and sanctions for non-performing and deviant public officeholders. Impunity must end. Transparency must begin. Elections must be driven by ideas and integrity, not money. Party leadership must grow from within.”
On her part, the daughter of Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Tokunbo Awolowo Dosumu, said the regions’ progress in education, infrastructure, agriculture, and industry was largely due to the constitutional framework they operated under.
She stated, “I, and I am sure a significant number of Nigerians, agree with me, sincerely hope that federalism will be top among the foundational issues addressed at this gathering.
“As Chief Obafemi Awolowo once declared, ‘…in the peculiar circumstances of Nigeria, only a federal constitution can foster unity with concord among the diverse national groups in the country, as well as promote economy and efficiency in administration.’
“This was not just a casual preference. It was the product of rigorous, statistical, and global research that was evidence-based, reasoned, and enduring in its import.
“Federalism was not just Chief Awolowo’s vision. It was the consensus of Nigeria’s founding fathers. And the golden era of developmental strides by the regions, whether in education, infrastructure, agriculture, or industry, owed much to the constitutional framework within which they, fortunately, chose to operate.
“A structure that empowered federating units to flourish while preserving national unity.
“As this summit convenes, I earnestly hope, and fervently pray, that its outcomes will not only be heard, but will be acted upon by those in authority.”
The summit co-chair and ex-Ogun State Governor, Gbenga Daniel, described the event as a citizen-led push for constitutional reform driven by sustained advocacy and rising public urgency.
He stated, “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.
“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 assured that the summit’s resolutions and proposals would be documented, refined, and submitted to the Presidency and National Assembly for review.
He added, “Our intention is not to foster confrontation but to promote constructive collaboration and mutual understanding.
“It is imperative that we persuade our leaders through reasoned argument, consensus-building, and compelling evidence that Nigeria is in dire need of a new constitutional framework that reflects the aspirations and realities of all its citizens.”
Also, a founding member of The Patriots, Gen Ike Nwachukwu, advocated the adoption and implementation of the resolutions from the 2014 National Constitutional Conference.
Nwachukwu, the sole surviving founding member of the group, recommended adopting the French-style parliamentary system, along with ensuring the independence of the electoral commission and establishing state police.
Chief Solomon Asemota (SAN), reflecting on Nigeria’s constitutional history, noted that the country’s independence constitution was altered to facilitate the declaration of a state of emergency in the former Western Region.
Asemota, who rated the independence constitution above the present Nigerian constitution, said a state of emergency “is a weapon in the hands of the colonial government.”
He called for a state of emergency in the development of the nation’s political parties, and expressed the belief that if the First Republic political parties were allowed to survive, the situation would have been different.
Asemota stated, “After the 1960 Constitution, which was an adjoining council, problems started. And the problem then was that the control of Nigeria, they wanted to know whether it seemed to be by the North or by the South.
“But the British succeeded in essentially providing the division between the Muslim and the Christian side. They forgot that there are a lot of Christians in the North and also a lot of Muslims in the South.
“But that became something that, in these days, we have not been able to overcome. And we still talk about it. We talk about laws and such.”
Ohanaeze Ndigbo equally advocated for the creation of state police and the implementation of the 2014 National Conference recommendations.
Speaking on behalf of the group, Chief Okey Nwadinobi stressed that a meaningful improvement in Nigerians’ lives hinges on a constitution that offers firm guidance and assurance.
He stated, “I would like to remind everyone here that the 2014 National Constitutional Conference report should be implemented.
“The second point is, today in Nigeria, most parts of Nigeria, we are all scared because of insecurity and banditry, and at the centre of it all is that we have seen that the time has come for us to push for state police.
“The third point I would like to briefly mention is the review of the notion of federal character with detailed, implementable constitutional provisions.
“The Federal Character Commission, as you all know, is in the Constitution of Nigeria. But how do we explain that in the entire Southeast, we have five ministers in the Federal Government of Nigeria, yet one state in one zone has four ministers? Do we feel that we are part of Nigeria? Do we feel that we are being fairly treated?
“So, we think that federal character should be adjusted in such a way that there is fairness, openness, and everybody seems very clear that we have all been properly accommodated, and that we are being taken care of.
“We also are of the view that, on the issue of devolution of powers, some interest should be taken to ensure that the constitution has been reformed to accommodate prevailing realities and to promote our national growth and general will.”
Speaking on behalf of Afenifere Worldwide and the Yoruba Nation, Chief Reuben Fasoranti stated that security issues and other challenges had further deepened Nigeria’s problems.
Represented by Senator Femi Okurounmu, he noted that between 1986 and 2025, nearly four decades, there has been only minimal progress toward achieving a better political system.
He stated, “For over seven decades, Afenifere has led the vanguard of progressive forces for the restructuring of Nigeria, with the sole purpose of placing the interest of its nationalities at the centre of the national constitutional framework, and the fulcrum of national social engineering.
“We, therefore, welcome this summit, particularly at this time. And we hope that this summit will inspire the Federal Government to immediately start and expedite the process of retooling our current constitutional platform by popular participation, beyond the annual token amendments.
“In this regard, Afenifere recommends to the organisers of this summit, the report of the 2014 confab, along with the draft constitution based on it, as working documents for this summit.”
Afenifere leader, Oba Oladipo Olaitan, said the proposed constitution reflected values of social democracy, economic welfare, true federalism, and the people’s desire for unity and justice.
He stated, “A major gridlock to the attainment of the full status of Nigeria respecting its description as the Federal Republic of Nigeria has been accurately identified as its curious mish-mash constitution, which is observed as more unitary than federal in content and context.
“A federal arrangement presupposes that a country’s federating units or her sub-national entities share powers with the central authority in all areas of governmental activities except in otherwise recondite subject matters as immigration deportation, defence, citizenship, awards of national titles of honour, decorations, etc, census, customs and excise, diplomatic, consular and trade representation, external affairs, passport and visas.”
He recommended that the states be the federating units.
The Afenifere leader continued, “Each state shall have its constitution containing enumerated concurrent legislative lists regarding matters upon which the states may act or legislate.
“The power to create local governments and assign functions to them shall be vested in the states. States shall be entitled to manage all resources found within their boundaries and the revenue accruing therefrom.
“The sharing ratio of all revenues raised by means of taxation shall be 75 per cent to the states, and 25 per cent to the government of the federation.”
On its part, the Pan Niger Delta Forum, through its Chairman, Godknows Igali, stressed the need for a functional constitution in Nigeria, one that is the product of democratic negotiation and consensus, akin to the 1963 Constitution.
He also advocated for the adoption and implementation of the 2014 National Conference recommendations.
He stated, “In addition to the consultative fora which we conducted, we have taken the liberty to study in deep detail previous efforts at the constitutional evolution of the country.
“Some of these include the outcome of the 2014 conference, which has been adjudged by all to be one of the best documents ever prepared in this effort and also the 2018 report of the APC Committee on True Federalism led by former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai.
“Since these two documents are very much in sync with a lot of constitutional provisions covered in the 1960/61 Constitution and also reflected the expectations of our people in the various constitutional conferences which we rely on, some of their provisions have properly enriched this presentation.”
He further stated that PANDEF was advocating for a total and comprehensive overhaul or even a complete replacement of the 1999 Constitution to reflect the desires and aspirations of Nigerians, particularly those from their region.
He stated, “PANDEF recommends for the entrenchment of true federalism and a two-tier governance of the federal government and state structure, and the sub-nationals having the power to create as many LGAs as required by them. Each federating sub-national unit shall have equal rights in line with true federalism as well as its constitution.
“Federal Government system of governance. A hybrid of both the presidential and parliamentary systems, to be known as the ‘Nigerian system’, is recommended. The President will be elected in a national election, as is done presently, while the vice president would be chosen by the President from members of the parliament.
“A full devolution of power to the sub-national governments in line with true federalism. The exclusive legislative list in the 1999 Constitution, as amended, is heavily concentrated in favour of the federal government, as it is a whopping 67 items, upon which only the federal government/national assembly can legislate.
“PANDEF recommends a decentralisation of policing to the sub-national level. So there should be state police and community police, as may be determined by the sub-nationals. Furthermore, PANDEF recommends the merger of all anti-corruption agencies at various levels.”
The President of the NLC, Comrade Joe Ajaero, represented by Comrade Benson Upah, urged Nigerian leaders to seek internal solutions to the country’s challenges.
He said: “The truth lies in our stars and ourselves. It is time to look inwards.
“The problem isn’t with the constitution but ourselves. The leading political elite in this country have programmed themselves to fail and to fail this country.”
In their responses, the Yoruba socio-cultural group Afenifere, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, and the Pan Niger Delta Development Forum called for the establishment of state police and the implementation of the 2014 National Conference report as solutions to Nigeria’s many challenges.
Other prominent figures at the summit were former Governor of Ekiti, Kayode Fayemi, Senator Ben Obi, Prof Pat Utomi, Senator Josephine Anenih and former Education Minister, Obiageli Ezekwesili.
Others were former Minister of Information, Labaran Maku, constitutional lawyer, Mike Ozekhome (SAN), human rights advocate, Femi Falana, among others.
Afenifere UK demands new constitution
The United Kingdom chapter of the Afenifere group has called on Nigerians to push for a fresh constitution that would entrench true federalism across the country.
The group made the call in a statement on Wednesday by its Secretary, Anthony Ajayi, citing the December 2025 deadline for Nigeria’s constitutional review.
The National Assembly had said the constitutional review is necessary due to several bills submitted before it for consideration.
The bills include State Creation, Electoral Reforms, Judiciary Overhaul, Local Government Autonomy, and Security Restructuring, notably the establishment of State Police and a State Security Council.
However, Aayi noted that the current 1999 Constitution had failed to deliver meaningful development or good governance to Nigerians.
According to him, continued amendments of the existing constitution had done little to address the root causes of the country’s challenges, ranging from insecurity and corruption to economic underperformance and poor service delivery.
He further stated that the country was in a constitutional quagmire, adding that “what we need now is not another round of amendments but a brand new constitution that reflects the aspirations of the Nigerian people and not just those of the political elite.”
He noted that since its adoption, politicians had continued to hide under its provisions to act with impunity, while citizens were left without the benefits of democratic governance.
“We have been agitating for the restructuring of Nigeria over the years, just like others who had called for a referendum or national conference to address our differences. But, going by the current reality, Nigeria needs a Constitution that will capture the interest of the people more than politicians.
“We cannot continue to patronise practices that weigh on our development, weaken our potential and mock our collective sensibilities.
“The Western region under the leadership of Chief Obafemi Awolowo, without oil money, used capitation tax and revenue from agriculture and mining to fund free education for over 800,000 pupils, built several roads, farm settlements, industrial estates, the first TV station in Africa, and the tallest building in Nigeria at the time, while still giving up 50 per cent of its earnings from mining and minerals for allocation to the federal government and other regions,” the statement read.
The group also cited prominent voices such as former Presidents Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan, Nobel laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka, and Afenifere leader, Pa Fasoranti, who have at various times criticised the current constitution as being at the heart of Nigeria’s stagnation.
