A respected elder statesman, Victor Attah, has issued a stern warning to President Bola Tinubu, urging him to prioritize constitutional reform or risk exiting office with Nigeria in a deeper state of dysfunction.
The former Akwa Ibom State Governor, Attah who is also a member of The Patriots, criticised the 1999 Constitution as fundamentally flawed and ill-suited for a diverse and complex nation like Nigeria. He described the current document as “a unitary system masquerading as federalism,” and called for its complete replacement with a new, people-driven constitution.
Speaking ahead of the upcoming national political summit on Nigeria’s democratic future, set for July 15 to 17 in Abuja, Attah maintained that now is a historic moment for change. The summit, which will be led by former Commonwealth Secretary-General Chief Emeka Anyaoku, is expected to bring together political stakeholders and civil society leaders to address Nigeria’s constitutional challenges.
“President Tinubu is uniquely placed to champion this cause,” Attah said. “He knows first-hand the excesses and structural weaknesses of the current constitution, having battled its limitations as governor of Lagos State.”
He also stressed that without bold steps toward restructuring and a genuinely federal constitution, Nigeria risks continued stagnation, worsening division, and eroding trust in democratic governance.
