Amend or Rewrite Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution?

For over 25 years, Nigeria has operated under the 1999 Constitution. It has undergone several amendments and more reforms are on the table. But can you fix a shaky building by just repainting the walls? Supporters argue that gradual reforms on state police, local government autonomy, electoral processes and judicial matters can restore stability. Critics counter that the 1999 document emerged from military rule and Nigerians never truly voted on it. If we never formally endorsed this charter, shouldn’t we have the chance to draft a fresh one? A new constitution could reopen debates on federalism, resource control, revenue sharing, state police, indigeneship and other core issues. Or is the fault not in the document itself but in our failure to enforce it? Could a perfect constitution on paper still produce poor governance? Would a new charter really change Nigeria’s realities?

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