Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has said that Nigeria’s primary challenge is not its constitution but the selfish and corrupt individuals responsible for implementing it.
Speaking through Olawale Okunniyi, Secretary-General of the Eminent Patriots, at the opening of a three-day national summit on the future of Nigeria’s constitutional democracy in Abuja on Wednesday, Obasanjo argued that while the constitution may not be perfect, it is capable of supporting good governance if implemented with integrity.
“The best constitution can be perverted and distorted by the operators, and we have experienced that all over Africa; Nigeria is not exempted,” he said.
Obasanjo emphasised that efforts to reform Nigeria’s democratic system should focus less on the constitution itself and more on the character of those who wield power within it. He warned that no amendment would produce meaningful change if the nation’s leadership remains driven by personal interests.
“No matter what you do to the Nigerian constitution, if the operators of the constitution, for the past one decade and a half, remain unchanged and continue in the same manner, the welfare and wellbeing of Nigerians will continue to be sacrificed on the altar of selfishness,” he stated.
While acknowledging that a constitution should reflect the nation’s history, diversity, and aspirations, Obasanjo stressed that even the most well-crafted legal framework can be rendered ineffective by leaders lacking accountability and honesty.
“As we reflect on the future of constitutional democracy in Nigeria, let us remember that the document itself is only as good as the people who bring it to life,” he concluded.
The summit brings together constitutional scholars, political leaders, and civil society stakeholders to discuss pathways for strengthening Nigeria’s democracy beyond legal reforms.
