Prominent constitutional lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mike Ozekhome, has delivered a scathing critique of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution, declaring it fundamentally flawed and incapable of solving the nation’s political and economic woes.
Appearing on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Friday, Ozekhome did not mince words as he dismissed repeated constitutional amendments as “futile efforts to fix a broken foundation with patches.”
“What we need is a brand-new constitution that is people-driven. You can’t amend a bad document. A document that is already afflicted with an ailment cannot be amended,” he said.
According to Ozekhome, Nigeria’s current constitution—handed down by the military without public consensus—is a major obstacle to national development. He argued that its centralised structure stifles innovation and growth at the regional level, while overburdening the federal government with responsibilities better handled locally.
“If your house is cracking, you don’t just paint the walls—you rebuild it. That’s where Nigeria is. We don’t need another amendment; we need to start over,” he insisted.
The senior lawyer also took aim at the presidential system of government, calling it “a bloated, expensive experiment” that continues to drain national resources and concentrate power in Abuja. He advocated for a return to the parliamentary system that existed prior to the 1966 coup, arguing that it offered a more balanced, cost-effective, and inclusive approach to governance.
“Our regions once thrived when they controlled their resources, managed their own police, and tailored development to local needs. We must return to that path if we truly want to see progress,” he said.
Ozekhome’s remarks come amid renewed public disillusionment with Nigeria’s governance framework, as economic pressures, insecurity, and political discontent intensify. While successive governments have attempted piecemeal amendments, critics like Ozekhome argue that no amount of tinkering can repair a constitution that was never truly Nigerian in origin.
His call adds to the growing chorus of voices demanding a national dialogue and a wholesale constitutional overhaul, not merely elite-driven amendments.
As Nigeria looks ahead to 2027, the question lingers: Will the nation finally summon the political will to rebuild from the ground up—or continue patching cracks on a collapsing structure?