Politics
Nigerians And Current Constitution Review
Since its inception as a country, Nigeria has had many constitutions: the Clifford’s in 1922; Richard’s in 1946; McPherson’s of 1952; down to the 1960 independence constitution; 1963 Republican Constitution; 1979; and the present 1999, which is an amendment of the 1979 constitution.
The existence and subsequent amendment of these constitutions had expectedly defined the Nigerian society at any given point with many elements, the operation of which was either viewed satisfactory or otherwise.
Of all the amendments, none has been described people-oriented as the on-going constitutional review, which gained such recognition by virtue of it being held at the grassroots in order to get the true feelings of the people and reflect same in the final document.
Going by the manner in which the nation-wide referendum on the constitutional review was organised, Nigerians have shown great expectations regarding the final report being truly representative of their various interests. They are thus highly expectant of that constitution that would adequately make provision for their dues and their security before laying emphasis on their obligations.
However, their wait may be longer than envisaged. This is because the National Assembly has continued to disagree over various issues in which they had indicated their stands when their opinions were sort at the grassroots late last year.
Though the reports of the referendum conducted across the country by both the House of Representatives and Senate are yet to be made public, there are already indications that the lawmakers may find it difficult to speak in unison in certain key issues. Such issues include state creation and local government autonomy.
This disagreement has already stalled the first public hearing for the report of the National Assembly on the nationwide referendum by the Constitution Review Committee of the House of Representatives. The Speaker, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal cancelled the event last month after a marathon meeting of principal officers that lasted over three hours.
According to him, the cancellation was necessitated by the need to put certain things right by carrying out more consultations on contentious issues.
“As a leadership, we have reviewed the process so far and realised that we cannot go ahead with this programme today. Just like any other things associated with humans, there are hitches here and there, that is normal”, Tambuwal said.
Contrarily, indications are rife that part of the disagreement in the Lower House borders on the fact that the Deputy Speaker, Emeka Ihedioha, who is the Chairman of the Constitution Review Committee, is not on the same page with his principal on certain provisions suggested in the report.
After several efforts to reach a compromise failed, Tambuwal and his loyalists chose to “stop what they christened unfavourable report, from becoming a public document, saying that such presentation may further complicate the hitherto fragile situation among the lawmakers.
The position of Tambuwal and his loyalists was alleged to be a reaction against such issues as state creation and immunity. It was alleged that the Speaker and his Deputy disagreed on several occasions when attempts were made to reach a compromise on the grey areas.
The implication is that the leadership of the House is currently divided into two with each supporting either Tambuwal or Ihedioha on the issues. The situation is almost the same in the Upper House, Senate.
According to inside sources, the arguments for and against the need for new states have also caused a sharp division among principal officers of the Senate: While Senate President, David Mark and his Deputy, Ike Ekweremadu, are for state creation, some principal officers mostly from the North, are opposed to the creation of more states.
In fact, as at the last debate, it was difficult to determine what the result would be if the lawmakers had decided to vote on the contentious issue of state creation. The reason was that while a good number of senators from the South and North Central were in support, most lawmakers from the North were strongly against it.
The Senate President was quoted to have said: “the argument of those opposing state creation is based on whether existing states are viable or not. But they forget that a state might be unviable just because the administrator is not ingenious with internal revenue generation, or the people are not united and the administrator has to spend the available resources on achieving peace.
“I am for the creation of Aba State and any other State that may fit the conditions. I have never shied away from my agitation for creation of additional states…”, he said.
Ordinarily, all these and other arguments from the perspective of a selfless broadminded person, which is what those the legislators represent expect them to be, can only be for the best, if the aim is to create an egalitarian society in the Nigerian state. Anything outside this can only further heat-up the polity.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, December 31, 2025, and signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Obiora Ifoh, the party said it had taken note of Mr Obi’s defection alongside some of his supporters, as well as what it called a “lacklustre speech” delivered by the former Anambra State governor at the defection event.
“We wondered what new he intends to sell to Nigerians,” the party said, adding that it was not surprised by the move, having “since September 2024, parted ways with Peter Obi and some of his blind supporters in the National Assembly.”
According to the statement, the faction said it had patiently awaited Mr Obi’s exit, describing it as a blessing.
“The party is finally liberated by this defection and as party leaders, we count it as a blessing,” the party said.
The faction further disclosed that it had previously urged Mr Obi and his supporters to leave if they were unable to work with the party leadership.
It claimed that several lawmakers had been suspended for anti-party activities and that similar action would have been taken against Mr Obi but for the intervention of “some well-meaning Nigerians.”
It also blamed its internal crisis on Mr Obi and Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, accusing them of sponsoring what it described as an insurrection against the Julius Abure-led leadership.
“The crisis we had in the Labour Party was caused by Peter Obi and the Abia State governor, Alex Otti,” the statement alleged, adding that it was surprising Dr Otti had not followed Mr Obi out of the party despite his suspension.
Reacting to Mr Obi’s defection event in Enugu, the faction claimed the gathering was largely boycotted by prominent political and traditional institutions in the South East, insisting that those present were “political spent forces who cannot win in their wards should there be an election today.”
It warned that this development signalled the failure of any future Mr Obi presidential or vice-presidential ambition, claiming he had “clearly lost the charm that had endeared him to the people prior to 2023.”
The faction also accused Mr Obi of misleading the South East during the 2023 elections, alleging that the region suffers political marginalisation under President Bola Tinubu’s administration as a result.
“He must be told that the South East lost out completely in President Ahmed Tinubu’s government because they trusted and believed in him in 2023,” the statement said, alleging disparities in ministerial appointments and infrastructure allocation to the zone.
The Abure-Led LP apologised to Nigerians for its decision in the last election.
“We gave Nigerians a candidate we thought was good for the nation in 2023, but time has since proved that we made the greatest political mistake. We plead for forgiveness from Nigerians,” the party said.
It urged Nigerians to watch out for a rebranded Labour Party, promising to present “the best prospect” capable of returning Nigeria to what it described as its “glorious days.”
steadily toward unity, justice, and shared prosperity”, he said.
Speaking to journalists on Wednesday at his country home in Ikere-Ekiti, Dr Oluyede said the development came as a shock, stressing that INEC supervised and monitored the PDP governorship primary that produced him as the party’s candidate.
According to him, INEC officials documented the process, completed all required forms, and even affirmed his candidacy in court through sworn affidavits arising from cases linked to the primary election.
He maintained that no court order or injunction currently restrains INEC from listing his name as the PDP candidate, arguing that the electoral body lacks the constitutional power to determine who emerges as a party’s nominee.
Dr Oluyede described such decisions as the exclusive responsibility of political parties, not the electoral umpire.
While playing down panic over the released list, Dr Oluyede noted that electoral processes often involve reviews and corrections.
He disclosed that he had commenced wide consultations, including engagements with PDP leadership and formal correspondence with INEC, to seek clarification on the omission and determine the next line of action.
The PDP candidate assured his supporters across Ekiti State that he would appear on the ballot, expressing confidence that the situation would be resolved in his favour.
He described attempts to exclude candidates from elections as dangerous and undemocratic, warning that such tactics undermine the people’s right to freely choose their leaders.
Dr Oluyede called on the people of Ekiti to reject any form of disenfranchisement, insisting that elections should be contests of ideas, records, and acceptance by the electorate rather than exclusionary maneuvers.
He also declared that the PDP in Ekiti had resolved its past internal crises and was now united, focused, and ready to win the forthcoming governorship election.
He urged party members and supporters to remain calm and focused, expressing optimism that, with divine grace and the will of the people, the PDP would emerge victorious at the polls.
Mr Obi spoke while formally declaring for the African Democratic Congress (ADC) at a well-attended event in Enugu on Wednesday, where he outlined what he described as a fresh roadmap for rescuing the country from its socio-economic challenges.
Addressing party members, supporters and other stakeholders, the former governor stressed that leadership must be driven by integrity and accountability, warning against the culture of double standards in public office.
“We cannot continue to deceive our people. Leadership is about telling the truth and leading by example. You cannot promise one thing in public and do another in private. That is not leadership, and that is not the change Nigeria needs”, Mr Obi said.
He maintained that genuine national rebirth would only be possible if entrenched wrongs were corrected, adding that governance must be guided by competence, discipline and a clear sense of purpose.
Mr Obi also underscored the need for fresh thinking in the nation’s political space, urging political actors to move away from recycled ideas that have failed to deliver sustainable development.
“We must come with new ideas,” he said, adding that “Nigeria’s problems are not mysterious; what has been lacking is the courage and competence to address them differently. We need a new approach that puts people first and focuses on production, not consumption.”
Calling for a broad based political collaboration, Mr Obi appealed to parties and stakeholders across ideological divides to work together in the national interest.
“This country is bigger than any party or individual. All parties must come together to change the present trend. What matters is not the platform, but the future of Nigeria and the wellbeing of its citizens”, he declared.
Looking ahead to the 2027 general elections, Mr Obi challenged aspirants seeking elective offices to ensure transparency in their credentials, warning that the era of falsified certificates was drawing to a close.
“Anyone contesting for any position in 2027 must come with genuine certificates. All the machinery is now in place to verify what is genuine and what is not. Integrity must start from the very foundation of leadership”, he stated.
Drawing lessons from international development models, Mr Obi cited Rwanda and Indonesia as examples of countries that rose from difficult beginnings to become thriving economies through disciplined leadership and sound policies.
“These countries were once behind us,” he noted, adding that “Today, they are moving ahead because they chose competent leadership, clear vision and policies that support local production and human capital development.”
He also criticised the economic policies of the present administration, particularly the continued importation of food items that can be produced locally, describing such practices as inimical to national development.
“You cannot grow an economy by killing local production. Importing food that we can produce in Nigeria destroys jobs, weakens our farmers and drains our foreign exchange. A serious country must produce what it consumes”, he argued.
The event featured renewed calls from ADC supporters for sustained engagement and mobilisation, as Mr Obi reiterated his belief that Nigeria remains redeemable if led with honesty, competence and a commitment to shared national progress.
In his remarks, the National Chairman of the ADC, Senator David Mark, expressed confidence in the emerging coalition, assuring Nigerians that the party would deliver good governance at all levels of administration if entrusted with power.
The gathering also witnessed the defection of several prominent politicians from different political parties across the South-East and beyond.
The motion endorsing the defection was moved by a former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Chief Emeka Ihedioha, and seconded by former economic adviser to ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, Prof. Osita Ogbu.
Goodwill messages from notable political figures, including Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, Mrs. Aisha Yesufu, Chief Sam Egwu, Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo, Chief Achike Udenwa, Mr Onyema Ugochukwu and Senator Gilbert Nnaji among others, further underscored the growing momentum within the ADC.
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