A national summit convened in Abuja by The Patriots, a coalition of elder statesmen, intellectuals, and civic leaders, has demanded an urgent overhaul of Nigeria’s constitutional and governance structure, describing the current 1999 Constitution as fundamentally flawed, unrepresentative, and incapable of sustaining the country’s plural democracy.
The summit, held from July 16-17, 2025, at the Transcorp Hilton and Nicon Luxury Hotels, brought together a wide spectrum of delegates from civil society, academia, faith groups, the private sector, and the diaspora. It was led by former Commonwealth Secretary-General, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, in partnership with the Nigerian Political Summit Group (NPSG).
The communique released at the end of the two-day deliberation pointed to the present constitution’s origin without the consent of Nigerians and its role in enabling a unitary system that has weakened federalism, transparency, economic management, and national cohesion. The delegates declared that only a people-driven and inclusive Constitution grounded in genuine federalism could reposition Nigeria for stability and development.
To initiate this change, the summit urged the President to introduce an executive bill to empower INEC to conduct elections into a non-partisan Constituent Assembly that will draft a new Constitution. The proposed document will then be subjected to a national referendum. The summit also recommended returning to a regional federal system, adopting a cost-efficient unicameral legislature, and separating the offices of Attorney-General and Minister of Justice to insulate legal administration from politics.
Other key resolutions included a strong call for devolution of powers to states, creation of state police, genuine fiscal federalism, electoral reforms, including single-day elections and mandatory BVAS and e-transmission of results, and stronger inclusion of women, youth, persons with disabilities, and diaspora Nigerians in the democratic process. Delegates also decried the bloated cost of governance, endemic corruption, and the collapse of national security architecture.
In a sobering statistic, the summit cited that between May 2023 and April 2024, over 614,000 Nigerians lost their lives due to insecurity. It also referenced UNODC data showing over 350 million illicit arms circulating in the country, calling for urgent reforms to establish border security guards and local police.
The communique concluded with a charge to all Nigerians to support the movement for a new democratic constitution, asserting that the dream of a just, inclusive, and prosperous Nigeria is still within reach. “Together, we shall live to see that new, prosperous Nigeria where no child is left behind and where no man and woman is oppressed,” Chief Anyaoku stated.
