At National Summit: Nigerians say enough to flawed federation, flawed constitution

IN a bold move to salvage Nigeria’s ailing democracy and confront the nation’s growing insecurity, inequality and corruption, elder statesmen, intellectuals and civic leaders have demanded the urgent replacement of the 1999 Constitution with a new, people-oriented charter anchored on true federalism.

The call came at the end of a two-day National Summit on the Future of Nigeria’s Constitutional Democracy, convened under the auspices of The Patriots, Nigeria’s foremost assembly of elder statesmen led by Chief Emeka Anyaoku, former Secretary-General of the Commonwealth.

Held at the Transcorp Hilton and Nicon Luxury Hotels in Abuja, the summit brought together a broad spectrum of stakeholders, including members of civil society, the academia, ethnic nationalities, traditional rulers, faith-based organisations, professional bodies, market associations, youth and women’s groups, persons with disabilities and representatives of the Nigerian Diaspora.

In a communique issued at the end of deliberations, the summit declared that the 1999 Constitution is fundamentally flawed, asserting that it neither emanated from the people nor reflected Nigeria’s complex diversity.

The document, participants argued, has enabled excessive centralisation of power, suppressed federalism and contributed to sectional tensions and widespread poverty.

To address Nigeria’s governance dysfunctions, the summit called for the drafting of a new constitution through a people-led process, beginning with the election of a non-partisan Constituent Assembly. This body, inclusive of special interest groups, would be tasked with crafting a new charter to be ratified via a national referendum.

One of the summit’s key resolutions is a demand for a return to genuine federalism reminiscent of Nigeria’s First Republic, with a decentralised governance structure granting more autonomy to the federating units.

Participants also recommended a shift from the current presidential system, which they described as too expensive and vulnerable to abuse, towards a more cost-effective and accountable alternative. This includes a restructuring of the current six geopolitical zones to reflect authentic federal principles.

On the legislature, the summit described Nigeria’s bicameral National Assembly as unsustainable and called for a streamlined model that reduces the burden on taxpayers without compromising democratic representation.

Delegates expressed concern over the massive backlog of cases in Nigeria’s judiciary and advocated a system in which each federating unit has its own court hierarchy up to the Court of Appeal, with the Supreme Court restricted to constitutional and interstate matters.

They also called for the creation of specialised courts to handle electoral, corruption and terrorism-related cases.

To strengthen legal independence, the summit urged a constitutional separation of the offices of the Attorney-General and the Minister of Justice, with the Attorney-General’s role to be filled by non-partisan professionals at both federal and state levels.

On elections, the summit advocated reforms, including compulsory single-day voting, mandatory electronic transmission of results and full implementation of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS).

It also called for the legalisation of independent candidacy and penalties to curb party-switching among elected officials.

To reduce the cost of governance, the summit proposed constitutional limits on the number of ministries, commissioners, advisers and government agencies at all levels. This, it said, would curb waste, reduce corruption and ensure more efficient delivery of public services.

In a bid to address insecurity, the summit recommended the creation of sub-national police forces and community-based border security networks.

It also demanded the rotational appointment of security chiefs among Nigeria’s diverse regions to promote equity and national trust.

Recognising the importance of the Nigerian Diaspora, the summit called for legal provisions to ensure voting rights for over 15 million Nigerians living abroad, citing their crucial role in national development through remittances.

On socio-economic rights, the delegates advocated stronger constitutional guarantees for gender equity, youth empowerment, education, employment and protection of vulnerable groups, including children, women, persons with disabilities and ethnic minorities.

Addressing the media at the close of the event, co-chairman of the summit and former governor of Ogun State, Chief Gbenga Daniel, clarified that the summit was not writing a new constitution but rather proposing a clear and actionable roadmap for its creation.

“What the summit has done is to talk to Nigerians across divides and identify the key elements needed to move the country forward. We are urging the National Assembly to establish a Constituent Assembly with the specific mandate to write or rewrite the constitution,” Daniel said.

He noted that previous constitutional reform efforts failed largely due to the absence of a concrete roadmap, a gap the current summit has now filled.

In his closing remarks, Chief Emeka Anyaoku expressed optimism that, with continued commitment and pressure, Nigerians could soon witness the emergence of a just, inclusive and prosperous nation.

“Together, we shall live to see that new Nigeria where no child is left behind and no man or woman is oppressed,” he declared.

READ ALSO: National summit calls for ‘Constituent Assembly’, new constitution