PROPOSED BILL TO REPLACE 1999 CONSTITUTION WITH FEDERAL/REGIONAL GOVERNMENT IN NIGERIA SURFACES ONLINE

A draft bill advocating for the replacement of the 1999 constitution with a federal/regional government system in Nigeria has emerged online.

The current 1999 constitution was promulgated by the military government led by former Head of State, Abdulsalami Abubakar.

There has been widespread criticism from Nigerians, particularly human rights activists and various social-political groups, who argue that the current constitution was imposed by the military without the input of the Nigerian people.

In 2020, prominent Nigerians such as former Governor of Plateau State, Jonah Jang; Second Republic Senator, Professor Banji Akintoye; President-General of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Chief Nnia Nwodo; former Vice-Chairman of Arik Air, Senator Anietie Okon; and Commodore Ebitu Ukiwe (retd) described the 1999 constitution as a symbol of impunity.

If passed by the National Assembly, the proposed new constitution is expected to take effect no later than October 1, 2024.

The proposed constitution states that “Nigeria shall be a Federation comprising Regional Territories and a Federal Capital Territory, and shall be a Republic known as the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“The territorial jurisdiction of Nigeria shall comprise the territory of the Regional members of the Federation, and its boundaries shall be as determined by international agreements.”

Basis of the Federation

(1) Every Ethnic Nationality and People in Nigeria has an unconditional right to self-determination within their delineated territories.

(2) The sovereignty, powers, and authority to formulate the articles of association towards any reform of the Central Federal Government of Nigeria shall lie jointly and severally with all the ethnic nationalities occupying their respective territories.

(3) Every Ethnic Nationality and People in Nigeria has the right to a full measure of self-government, which includes the right to establish institutions of government in the territory they inhabit and to equitable representation in the Federal and Regional Governments.

For the purpose of this Constitution, an “Ethnic Nationality or People” is defined as a group of people who have or share a large measure of a common culture, similar customs, mutual intelligibility of language, and belief in common or related identities.