A former Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) President, Dr. Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), has said, replacing the 1999 Constitution will not guarantee a perfect Nigeria.
Agbakoba made this submission at the inaugural #FixPoliticsDialogues, a platform which convenes debates on national issues.
The event, tagged: “1999 Constitution: To change or amend?” was organised by FixPolitics, a non-profit organisation.
Agbakoba noted that despite its imperfections, the current constitution is not obeyed.
He said: “To force a change of constitution outside the legal framework will be considered a revolution.
“Let’s not assume that a perfect constitution that we all strive for means that by a flick of the switch everything is good.
“Currently, the constitution, imperfect as it is, is not obeyed. So, what says that the constitution we envisage will be obeyed? The answer to it is something we should reflect on carefully.
“Part of the problem we face today is the process. Because the process is faulty, Nigerians cannot claim ownership to the constitution. If there is a way to reverse that problem by overhauling the constitution and bringing in a new one, that, I think, is the ideal.”
