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Ozekhome calls for complete replacement of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution
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*Says, current one is Illegitimate, can’t save Nigeria
By Francesca Hangeior
Renowned constitutional lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mike Ozekhome, has renewed calls for the complete replacement of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution, describing it as an “illegitimate document” incapable of addressing the country’s challenges.
Speaking during an interview on Arise News on Monday, Ozekhome dismissed ongoing constitutional amendment efforts as futile, insisting that no amount of tweaking can fix what he called a fundamentally flawed foundation.
“The issue is not about amending the constitution. I have said again and again that you cannot amend a bad document.
“A bad, illegitimate document that never proceeded from the people through a popular plebiscite or referendum can never be the product of the people. I have said it again and again, that even one million amendments to the present constitution cannot solve it.”
According to him, the current constitution lacks legitimacy and moral authority because it was imposed by the military without the consent of the Nigerian people.
“We are still talking about constitutional amendment when we should be talking about introducing a brand new constitution that reflects our diversity as a nation, reflects our multi-religious linguistic inclination,” he added.
Ozekhome argued that the country needs a complete constitutional reset to cleanse itself of its structural ailments.
“What we need is a total beginning, a fresh beginning, like from a tabula rasa, like Naaman the leper who dipped himself in the River Jordan seven times and became cleansed of his leprosy. That is what we need,” he added.
Ozekhome also took aim at the origin of the current constitution, which he said was enacted under Decree No. 24 of 1999 by the military regime of General Abdulsalami Abubakar.
He said the document’s preamble, which begins with “We the people,” is deceptive and undermines the document’s credibility.
“The present constitution, apart from its original sin, like that of Adam, of being a product of a military dictator, through the promulgation of the decree number 24 of 1999 told a lie about itself in its preamble by saying ‘we the people’ of Nigeria do hereby make and give to ourselves the following constitution,” he said.
Ozekhome also criticised the constitution’s structure, which he said masquerades as federalism while actually concentrating power at the centre. He said the system strips Nigerians of their rights and fuels economic inefficiency.
“It cannot take us forward because one, it operates a unitary system of government, all the provisions, not a federal system of government. Two, it dispossesses the people of their economic, social, political, and cultural rights. Three, it is too heavy, on the side of wastages and leakages, which makes Nigeria today use about 70% to 80% of our national resources, to service recurrent expenditure and public debts, thus leaving only 20% to 30% for capital expenditure,” he explained.
“No nation can grow like that. We are not going to grow like that. So when we are talking about a constitution like this being amended, you are really pursuing shadows where you should pursue substance.”
He questioned the size and cost of Nigeria’s federal legislature and bureaucracy, describing it as bloated and unsustainable.
“What, for example, are we doing with 109 senators and 360 House of Representatives members? Do you know the Senate has over 45 committees? Each committee is fully staffed with members and employees.
“We have a system where one position has accretions up to 10. Thus, we have an SSA, Senior Special Assistant, after a Special Advisor, Senior Special Assistant, then Special Assistant, then Personal Assistant. Do you know how many ministries we are operating? Well over 40 ministries.”
Ozekhome warned that unless Nigeria discards its current constitution in favour of a truly people-driven document that reflects its ethnic, cultural, and religious diversity, it will remain stuck in a cycle of dysfunction and stagnation.
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
Suspected bandits have kidnapped retired Major General Rabe Abubakar, former Director of Defence Information, and his wife on Matazu Road in Katsina State.
Security sources told PRNigeria that the couple was ambushed on Saturday morning, May 30, 2026, while travelling in a red Peugeot 504 saloon car.
The gunmen intercepted the vehicle and whisked the retired officer and his wife to an unknown location.
The driver escaped with gunshot wounds and is receiving treatment at a nearby hospital, a security source said.
The former DDI and his wife were waylaid by armed men on the route. The driver escaped with gunshot injuries and is receiving medical attention,” the source stated.
Security forces have launched search-and-rescue operations and deployed intelligence assets to track the abductors, according to the source. Official confirmation from the military was still pending at press time.
—Rising concern in Katsina—
The abduction comes amid persistent insecurity in parts of Katsina despite ongoing military operations against bandit groups in the North-West.
In recent years, several serving and retired security personnel have been targeted on highways linking Katsina to neighbouring states. PRNigeria reports that criminal groups now see high-profile individuals, including retired military officers, as lucrative targets.
Maj-Gen Abubakar served as Director of Defence Information and was one of the Nigerian military’s most visible spokespersons during the counterinsurgency campaign against Boko Haram.
The incident is expected to renew calls for stronger security along major highways and rural communities in Katsina, where residents continue to face kidnapping and banditry.
Credit :PRNigeria
Abia State Police Command has nabbed two suspects for conspiracy, attempted child theft and possession of hard drugs.
The Command which made this known on Saturday, named the suspects as Nzubechi Chinagorom and Chinonso Chibundu, indigenes of Olokoro, Umuahia South LGA of the Abia State.
In a statement signed by DSP Maureen Chinaka, the Police Public Relations Officer, the Command said its officers apprehended the suspects through actionable intelligence, in collaboration with Olokoro vigilante personnel.
She stated that the suspects went to the residence of one Miss Amarachi Chinyereugo and attempted to forcibly take away her two-week-old baby girl.
DSP Chinaka said that the Nzubechi Chinagorom allegedly stabbed the nursing mother with a kitchen knife during a struggle, causing the baby to fall and hit her head on ground.
The police spokesperson said that the two suspects fled from the scene and ran into a nearby bush on realizing that the nursing mother, Miss Amarachi Chinyereugo cried out for help.
She added that the suspects were later apprehended at a bus stop
where they had reportedly gone to take hard drugs.
“The mother and child were immediately rushed to the hospital, where they received treatment and have since recovered.
“The suspects were apprehended, exhibits were recovered and investigation has been conducted at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID). Suspects will be charged to court on 2/06/2026,” Chinaka said.
Ex-Minister of Labour and Productivity, SellJoel Ikenya, has been declared winner of the governorship primaries conducted by the Tanimu Turaki-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Taraba State.
Mr Felix Hyat, the chairman of the election committee, who announced the results in Jalingo on Saturday, said Ikenya scored 34,173, to defeat Mr Dinshiya Usman, who polled 4,853.
Hyat, who described the exercise as free, fair and transparent, commended the state working committee of the party for the peaceful conduct.
Ikenya, in his acceptance speech, pledged to revive Taraba to her days of glory if elected governor in 2027.
“I will transform Taraba; I will change the state from salary base, to an industrialised state.
“My desire is to also revive the state infrastructure and attract more investors to boost the economy,” he said.
The governorship candidate, however, denied the allegations of factional PDP in Taraba.
“There is no factional PDP in Taraba; I don’t know where the other people are coming from.
“PDP in Taraba is one, and we do not have any faction in the state. We are working as one united family to reclaim our mandate from Gov. Agbu Kefas of the All Progressives Congress (APC),” he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that, the Nyesom Wike led faction of the party had recently declared senator Emmanuel Bwacha as its governorship candidate in Taraba.
NAN
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