Nigeria Needs New Constitution or Risks Decline – Victor Attah Warns Tinubu

Former Akwa Ibom State Governor and respected elder statesman, Obong Victor Attah, has cautioned President Bola Tinubu that Nigeria may suffer greater instability unless he champions the creation of a new people-oriented constitution before leaving office.

Speaking ahead of the National Political Summit scheduled for July 15 to 17 in Abuja, Attah argued that the current 1999 Constitution lacks the federal character required for a diverse country like Nigeria, describing it as a unitary document disguised as federalism.

According to Attah, Tinubu is uniquely positioned to lead constitutional reform due to his personal experience as governor of Lagos State, during which federal overreach saw local government funds withheld under the current system.

“This president understands the problem. He lived through it. His LG funds were illegally seized. If he fails to fix this, he may leave behind a more fractured Nigeria than he met,” Attah said.

He rejected calls for piecemeal amendments, insisting instead on a complete constitutional overhaul. “We cannot fix something that is fundamentally broken. The only way forward is to start afresh with a truly Nigerian constitution,” he said.

Call for Sovereign Conference
Attah urged the National Assembly to pass legislation enabling civil society groups like The Patriots to organize a sovereign national conference. He believes representatives of Nigeria’s ethnic and socio-cultural groups should draft a new constitution that would then be subjected to a national referendum.

He cited the imbalance in the 1999 Constitution, noting that 63 out of 96 items on the legislative schedule fall under the Federal Government’s exclusive jurisdiction.

“This is essentially giving one individual control over an entire country. That’s not federalism; it’s authoritarianism,” he said.

Reform Priorities: Beyond State Police
While the push for state police gains traction, Attah argued that such reforms are inadequate without a foundational reset. “We can’t keep treating symptoms. We must address the root cause — the constitution itself. All necessary protections and safeguards should be embedded in a new framework,” he emphasized.

He proposed a six-month timeline for a compact constitutional drafting committee, culminating in a public referendum to restore sovereignty to the people.

Advocates Return to Parliamentary System
Attah also made a case for reintroducing a parliamentary system, stating that it encourages internal party democracy, better leadership grooming, and policy accountability. “You rose through the party ranks based on ideology and competence, not political deals,” he said, lamenting the current trend of political opportunism and weak party systems.

He further criticized the absence of provisions for independent candidacy, arguing that it limits democratic participation and voter choice.

Strong Words on Presidential Powers
Attah decried the concentration of powers in the presidency, warning that it enables dictatorship. “The president, under this constitution, can act without checks. That’s not democracy,” he said.

He concluded by highlighting the inefficiency of Nigeria’s current revenue-sharing system, which he referred to as a “feeding bottle arrangement” that stifles productivity and competitiveness among states.

“As long as states are rewarded whether they produce or not, there will be no innovation, no growth,” he said. “True federalism brings responsibility, and that’s what we need to move forward.”