As the National Assembly continues its zonal sittings for debates over the review of the nation’s constitution, former president Olusegun Obasanjo has joined hands with former Commonwealth of Nations Secretary, Emeka Anyaoku, the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) and others to renew the call for a peoples’ constitution that would replace the 1999 constitution that was produced by the military.

The elder statesmen were also joined by political leaders, civil society advocates, and regional interest groups to call for a new constitution that reflects Nigeria’s pluralism and addresses deep-rooted issues of governance, equity, and national unity.

This demand was made at the National Constitutional Summit which commenced on Wednesday in Abuja, organised by the Emeka Anyaoku led The Patriots, in collaboration with the Nigerian Political Summit Group (NPSG).

The Secretary of the Commonwealth and Chair of The Patriots, described the 1999 Constitution as a military-imposed document that has failed to deliver a true federal system or inspire a sense of shared ownership among Nigerians. He argued that the country’s pluralistic nature requires a constitution made by the people, through elected representatives, and ratified by referendum.

“Our present 1999 Constitution was imposed by the military and not democratically formulated. It induces excessive administrative costs and weakens development. Nigeria needs a credible, truly federal constitution formulated by its people,” Anyaoku declared.

Anyaoku decried widespread insecurity, economic hardship, and the erosion of national unity, insisting that the current 36-state structure cannot replicate the early successes of Nigeria’s post-independence federalism.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, in his remarks at the occasion, agreed on the need for constitutional reform but emphasized that the real problem lies with the operators of the Constitution. He warned that no constitution—no matter how perfect—would yield positive results if implemented by corrupt or incompetent leaders.

“No matter what you do to the Nigerian Constitution, if the operators remain the same, the welfare of Nigerians will continue to suffer. The real issue is the failure of leadership, not just the flaws of the Constitution,” Obasanjo stated.

Also the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), through its chairman Ambassador Godknows Igali, echoed these sentiments and recommended a return to the principles of the 1963 Constitution. PANDEF advocated for resource control, state policing, rotational presidency, a unicameral legislature, and increased derivation to producing states.

“The 1999 Constitution contains several flaws. We need a workable Constitution, freely negotiated under democratic conditions,” PANDEF emphasized, calling for decentralization of power and fiscal autonomy for federating units.