Renowned constitutional lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mike Ozekhome, has declared that amending Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution will not solve the country’s deep-rooted political, economic, and security challenges.
Speaking during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Friday, Ozekhome described the current constitution as a “curse” to national development, insisting that only a brand-new, people-oriented document can rescue the nation.
“What we need is a brand-new constitution that is people-driven. You can’t amend a bad document. A document that is already afflicted with an ailment cannot be amended,” he stated.
Using a metaphor, he added, “If you have a problem in your house — the building is cracking — how do you solve it? Some people say, ‘Let’s amend the present constitution.’ Amendment, one million times, cannot solve the problem.”
Ozekhome criticized the 1999 Constitution for being a military-imposed document that centralizes too much power in Abuja, undermining regional autonomy and development.
He also took a swipe at Nigeria’s presidential system of government, describing it as too expensive and inefficient. As an alternative, he advocated a return to the parliamentary system practised before the 1966 military intervention, where regions had greater control over their resources and security.
According to the legal luminary, a new, homegrown constitution shaped by the will of the Nigerian people is essential for the country to thrive.
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