Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has asserted that Nigeria’s major challenges stem not from flaws in the Constitution, but from the failures of those responsible for implementing it.
Obasanjo made this known in a letter addressed to the Chairman of the National Summit on the Future of Nigeria’s Constitutional Democracy, Chief Emeka Anyaoku. The letter was read on Wednesday during the summit held at the Transcorp Hilton in Abuja.
The former president stressed that while constitutional amendments are sometimes necessary, the critical issue lies in leadership and governance.
“A nation’s Constitution as the fundamental law must reflect the history, the constituents, and the aspirations of its people. It must be sacrosanct,” Obasanjo stated. “From my experience in operating our Constitution, I will be the first to point out some areas of our Constitution that need amendment.”
He, however, noted that constitutional reforms alone are insufficient without capable and accountable leadership.
“No Constitution can ever be regarded as perfect,” he said. “But whatever the strength or weakness of a Constitution, the most important issue to my own understanding and experience is the operators of the Constitution.”
Obasanjo warned that even the best-drafted Constitution could be rendered ineffective if misused by those in power.
“I am more concerned about the operators of the Constitution to lead in good governance and promotion of welfare and well-being of the citizenry,” he added.
He further criticised the conduct of Nigeria’s political class over the past decade and a half, blaming persistent national woes on entrenched corruption, impunity, and disregard for constitutional principles.
“No matter what you do to the Nigerian Constitution, if the operators of the Nigerian Constitution for the past one decade and a half remain unchanged and continue in the same manner, the welfare and well-being of Nigerians will continue to be sacrificed on the altar of selfishness, self-centredness, corruption, impunity, and total disregard of the Constitution, decency, morality, integrity and honesty.”
He concluded by urging Nigerians to focus their attention on the character and conduct of those in power.
“At this crucial time, the operators matter more, and the searchlight should be on them. When we get the right operators, they will give us the amended or new Constitution close to what we need to make every Nigerian a proud stakeholder in the Project Nigeria,” Obasanjo said.
