The Patriots’ pointless clamour for a new constitution, by Yemi Adebowale

The Patriots, a body of Nigerian elders and leaders of thought, in collaboration with the Nigerian Political Summit Group (NPSG), a coalition of professionals and political reformers, last Wednesday held a summit in Abuja, which they say will herald “an all-inclusive constitutional conference with the primary goal of producing a draft of a new Constitution for the country.”

Former Secretary General of the Commonwealth, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, is the leader of these Nigerians that want to reposition constitutional democracy in this country and “lay a foundation for a new, democratic people’s constitution that truly reflects the will, diversity, and aspirations of Nigerians.”

The ultimate goal of these Nigerians is to present a Draft Legislative Bill for a new Nigerian Constitution to President Bola Tinubu and the and the National Assembly, which they said would be a product of nationwide consultations, intellectual rigour, and inclusive political dialogue.

For the Patriots, the 1999 Constitution, enacted in the twilight of military rule “without extensive public consultation, entrenched a unitary system that stifles federalism, undermines local governance, and fails to reflect Nigeria’s multi-ethnic, pluralistic realities.”
Many of Nigeria’s unending challenges, from systemic insecurity, mass unemployment, and poor public service delivery, to weak institutions, inequitable resource control, and economic centralization, are rooted in constitutional disfunction, so says the Patriots.

The final declaration by the Patriots is that the 1999 Constitution must be abandoned and a new Constitution enacted for this country to exit her loads of problem. What they are telling us now is that a new Constitution will end insecurity, poverty, corruption, hunger, disease, malnutrition, failed leadership, unemployment, power crisis, and all that have been retarding this country.

For me, it is preposterous for anyone to say that the ultimate solution to all the problems of Nigeria is a new Constitution. I always get very angry when I hear The Patriots and like minds saying Nigeria will only start making progress once we jettison the 1999 Constitution and put a new Constitution in place. Yes, some sections of the 1999 Constitution need amendment, but not a new Constitution entirely. The problem is not with the 1999 Constitution but with those delegated to operate it, particularly our so-called leaders. For example, if we fully adopt the British Constitution today, with these so-called leaders, this country will still be in a mess.

Ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo was apt when he told The Patriots that Nigeria’s challenges are less about the Constitution and more about those entrusted with operating it.

Obasanjo declared: “I am more concerned about those who operate the constitution than the need for a new one. However, for me, no Constitution can ever be regarded as perfect. The best Constitution could be manipulated and misused by its operators. No matter what you do to the Nigerian Constitution, if the operators of the Nigerian Constitution, for the past one decade and a half, remain unchanged and continue in the same manner, the welfare and well-being of Nigerians will continue to be sacrificed on the altar of selfishness, corruption and Impunity.

“At this crucial time, the operators matter more, and the searchlight should be on them. When we get the right operators, they will give us the amended or new Constitution close to what we need to make every Nigerian a proud stakeholder in the Project Nigeria.”
With these largely languid and corrupt Nigerian leaders, even the most flawlessly-crafted Federal Constitution will not deliver development and steadiness to Nigeria. Countries with good leaders have remained resilient. They are the ones making progress. Good leaders manage development challenges and pluralism effectively. Good leaders prioritise the security and welfare of the people. If this country wants progress, we must find a way to jettison our largely corrupt, useless, morally-bankrupt and inept leaders. This is what The Patriots and their supporters should focus on.

Any country whose good hands are not running the show will never make progress. We must also build institutions. So sad that governments at all levels in beloved Nigeria are being managed largely by miscreants. The system is skewed by a few holding us by the jugular to persistently put forward touts as leaders. This is what we must all fight. We must find a way of putting forward our best legs if Nigeria wants to make progress. It is not about a new Constitution.