Emeka Anyaoku Calls for New Federal Constitution to Address Nigeria’s Challenges
Former Commonwealth Secretary-General, Emeka Anyaoku, has voiced a firm stance on Nigeria’s need for a constitutional overhaul, arguing that the nation cannot thrive under the current 1999 Constitution, even in its amended form.
Anyaoku shared this perspective at the launch of “The Noble Academic and Patriot: A Biography of Emeritus Professor Akinjide Osuntokun” at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, Victoria Island, Lagos. Speaking passionately, he stressed that Nigeria must abandon the current constitution to pursue a more fitting framework for national development.
Reflecting on the constitution’s limitations, Anyaoku stated that it is unrealistic for Nigerians to expect transformative change from any leader while the outdated constitution remains in force.
According to him, “To those who think that the trouble with Nigeria today is the political leadership, I would say that as long as we have the 1999 Constitution as our grundnorm, not even Angel Gabriel or Malaikah Jibrin as leaders can successfully tackle the divisiveness, the underperforming economy with the resultant poverty, the insecurity, the humongous corruption, and the other major challenges currently facing Nigeria.”
PulseNets learnt that Anyaoku also highlighted Nigeria’s rich diversity, describing the country as a pluralistic society with groups that have distinct histories, cultures, languages, and religions. He emphasized that nations with similar diversity—such as India, Canada, and Switzerland—have maintained unity and progress by implementing federal constitutions that honor their pluralistic nature.
Anyaoku told PulseNets, “The universal lesson is that pluralistic countries which have survived as single political entities in unity and progress are those that addressed their pluralism, that is their diversity, with genuine federal constitutions. Examples of such countries are India, Canada and Switzerland.”
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He concluded, stating, “I believe, therefore, that if our pluralistic Nigeria is to achieve true unity and political stability, and to successfully tackle the serious challenges that the country currently faces, it must have a truly federal constitution.”
