Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mike Ozekhome, has described the 1999 Constitution as a fundamentally flawed document that cannot advance Nigeria's development regardless of amendments made to it.
Speaking on Arise Television's Morning Show on Monday, the constitutional lawyer emphasized that the current constitution operates a unitary rather than federal system of government, making it unsuitable for Nigeria's diverse population.
"The issue is not about amending the Constitution. I have said it again and again that you cannot amend a bad document. A bad, illegitimate document that never proceeded from the people through a popular plebiscite or referendum can never be the product of the people," Ozekhome stated.
The legal expert advocated for a complete overhaul rather than amendments, calling for "a brand new constitution that reflects our diversity as a nation, reflects our multi religious, linguistic inclination."
Ozekhome likened Nigeria's constitutional situation to a biblical reference, saying the country needs "a total beginning, a fresh beginning, like from a tabula rasa, like Naaman the leper, that dipped himself in River Jordan seven times and became cleansed of his leprosy."
Three Major Flaws in the 1999 Constitution
According to the Senior Advocate, the current constitution suffers from three critical deficiencies that prevent it from serving Nigeria effectively:
"The present constitution, no matter the amendments, cannot take us forward because one, it operates a unitary system of government, not a federal system of government. Two, it dispossesses the people of their economic, social, political and cultural rights. Three, it is too heavy on the side of wastages and leakages," he explained.
Ozekhome further described the 1999 Constitution as having an "original sin" due to its creation through military decree rather than democratic processes, specifically referencing its promulgation through "decree number 24 of 1999" under military dictatorship.
His comments come amid ongoing debates about constitutional reforms in Nigeria, with various stakeholders calling for different approaches to address the nation's governance challenges.
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