Need for constitutional amendment

What Nigerian needs currently as a nation so that things will not degenerate is the amendment of the 1999 constitution which is a military contraption and inadequate for today’s system of governance. We need a constitution that is democratic-friendly and devoid of the countless loopholes that characterise the present one.

For Nigeria to move forward, there must be a total overhaul of the constitution anchored on sovereignty and the welfare of the people in all ramifications, not one that favours the privileged at the expense of the common man.

We need a constitution that is hinged on true federalism and it is obvious that the amendment being touted in the country is not the solution to our huge problem. The planned amendment of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999(as amended) is not the answer to the call for true federalism.

The constitution they are trying to amend is focused on a unitary form of governance and no amount of fiddling can make it adequate. What we have is unsatisfactory and unworkable in a sovereign state like Nigeria.

The continuous call for true federalism is a reflection of the frustration of Nigerians. The problems with the 1999 constitution are incurable by any ordinary process of legislation or constitutional amendment because the lacuna is too huge and the issue of centralising has become the bedrock of Nigeria’s federalism.

This cannot be addressed or reversed by the current National Assembly because it is a beneficiary of the lopsided structure and is a major part of the problem.

The call for amendment of the 1999 Constitution by the National Assembly is an exercise in futility to keep Nigerians relaxed and will amount to nothing. It will only deepen unitary government in Nigeria, what we want is true federalism.

• Jadesola Oke, Lagos.

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