Push for new constitution gains momentum, as Anyaoku-led group mobilizes South-West stakeholders

ith less than a month to Nigeria’s much-anticipated National Constitutional Reform Summit, The Patriots, a group of eminent Nigerians led by former Commonwealth Secretary-General Chief Emeka Anyaoku, is ramping up efforts to shape the national conversation around a new constitutional order.

On Thursday, the South-West Advocacy and Strategy Committee of The Patriots convened in Ikeja, Lagos, to finalize the region’s submissions ahead of the June 10–11 summit. The meeting, which drew leading legal minds, policy experts, and retired security officials, underscored the urgency and seriousness with which the region is approaching the national dialogue.

“This is not just another summit,” said committee chairman Mr. Gboyega Adejumo. “It is a turning point for our country. The 1999 Constitution is fundamentally flawed and cannot sustain Nigeria’s diversity and development.”

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The Lagos session followed the May 1 inauguration of the summit’s Central Planning Committee at The Patriots’ Secretariat in Ilupeju. The committee is jointly chaired by two former governors and senators, Aminu Tambuwal and Gbenga Daniel, reflecting its bipartisan and nationwide scope.

As part of preparations, zonal committees have been established across Nigeria’s six geopolitical regions to gather perspectives and build consensus. The South-West gathering featured contributions from legal luminary Chief Niyi Akintola (SAN), governance scholar Professor Anthony Kila, and retired Assistant Inspector General of Police, Tunji Alapini.

The ideas debated and endorsed at the meeting reflect a growing push for a complete constitutional overhaul. Proposals included full federalism, state policing, regional control of natural resources, revitalization of regional rail systems, a shift from the presidential to a parliamentary system, and even the creation of a regional Supreme Court.

“These are not abstract ideas,” said Professor Kila. “They are practical solutions informed by Nigeria’s history and the urgent need to decentralize power and restore equity. But to succeed, we must bring civil society and grassroots voices into the fold.”

A key recommendation was to ground summit deliberations in the principles outlined in the 1963 Republican Constitution and the 2014 National Conference report, which many regard as Nigeria’s most thorough attempt at national consensus on governance reform.

Chief Akintola emphasized the need for strategic engagement by the Yoruba nation, urging that only its most capable and selfless minds be selected to participate in the summit. “We must negotiate from a position of intellect, vision, and unity,” he warned.

The national summit itself is expected to draw some of the country’s most respected figures in law, politics, and civil society. Confirmed keynote speakers include Nobel Laureate Professor Wole Soyinka, former INEC Chairman Professor Attahiru Jega, and elder statesmen such as Generals T.Y. Danjuma, Ike Nwachukwu, Alani Akinrinade, and Professor Ango Abdullahi.

Legal and policy experts such as Dr. Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), Senator Femi Okurounmu, and Dr. Oby Ezekwesili are also expected to participate. A distinguished panel, featuring Mike Ozekhome (SAN), Dr. Akin Fapohunda, Dr. Hauwa Mustapha, and Dr. Bilikisu Magoro, will be tasked with drafting the summit’s final resolutions.

At the heart of the summit is a consistent call from Chief Anyaoku and The Patriots for President Bola Tinubu to convene a genuine Constituent Assembly. Such an assembly, they argue, is essential for negotiating a constitution that reflects the aspirations of Nigeria’s diverse peoples and addresses long-standing grievances over federal imbalance.

“This is a moment for courage and vision,” Anyaoku said at the committee’s inauguration. “We cannot continue to patch a constitutional system that has failed to unite us, failed to secure us, and failed to deliver prosperity.”

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