Legal Expert Ozekhome: Nigeria Urgently Requires A Fresh Constitution, Not Just Amendments

Legal Expert Ozekhome: Nigeria Urgently Requires A Fresh Constitution, Not Just Amendments

Renowned Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mike Ozekhome, has emphatically asserted that Nigeria requires a fresh constitution instead of mere amendments to the existing 1999 Constitution. He highlighted that the flaws embedded within the current constitution cannot be rectified solely through amendments, particularly in light of the ongoing efforts by Committees within the National Assembly aimed at reviewing and amending the nation’s legal framework.

Speaking during a National Constitutional dialogue in Lagos, organized in honor of the late Ben Nwabueze, the Pioneer Secretary-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Ozekhome emphasized that the 1999 Constitution, handed down to Nigerians by military leaders, necessitates replacement through a democratic process such as a referendum.

Central to Ozekhome’s argument is the need for a new constitution to incorporate essential provisions, including the establishment of state police. He dismissed concerns regarding the potential misuse of state police, contending that such fears are unfounded.

Ozekhome challenged the efficacy of solely amending a fundamentally flawed document, stating, “One million amendments, multiplied by one million, of the present fundamentally flawed constitution, cannot cure the original sin.” He underscored that the current constitution was imposed upon Nigerians by a military junta, led by General Abdulsalami Abubakar, without the democratic mandate of the people. He highlighted the constitutional anomaly wherein the present constitution was merely appended as a schedule to Decree Number 24 of 1999.

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