At a nonpartisan national summit organized by The Patriots and the Nigerian Political Summit Group, former Commonwealth secretary-General, Chief Emeka Anyaoku outlined critical issues plaguing Nigeria emphasizing the need for a new constitution to address systemic failures.
Anyaoku highlighted the 1999 Constitution’s undemocratic origins, imposed by military decree, which he argued fosters non-inclusive governance and excessive administrative expenditure at the expense of capital development. Chief Emeka Anyaoku declared that;
"Nigeria is a pluralistic country and like all successful pluralistic countries around the world, for its stability and maximal development, it's constitution must address it's plurality by being formulated by elected representatives of its diversities. Our present 1999 constitution as amended, is not such a constitution, it was not democratically formulated, it was imposed in the country through a degree by the military administration"
Anyaoku identified several other pressing challenges in Nigeria. First, rampant insecurity, marked by daily kidnappings and killings, particularly in the Middle Belt, Northeast, and Northwest, has disrupted farming, exacerbating food insecurity.
Second, Nigeria’s status as the world’s poverty capital reflects rising poverty levels and widespread suffering.
Third, outdated infrastructure, especially in health and education, fails to meet modern needs. Additionally, a growing sense of hopelessness among youth and eroding national unity further compound the crisis. Anyaoku criticized the current 36 federating units as ineffective compared to the 1963 Constitution, which better supported national development.
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