A prominent member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has sparked fresh debate about Nigeria’s constitutional legitimacy, arguing that the country’s current governing document lacks proper legal foundation.
Adetokunbo Pearse, speaking during an interview on Arise News from 5:53, challenged the validity of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution, describing it as a military-imposed document that improperly replaced the democratic 1963 Constitution.
“You cannot suspend that 1963 constitution and replace it with 1999 constitution which was drawn up by Abdulsalami and Co. This is a military constitution,” Pearse stated emphatically during the broadcast.
The PDP chieftain’s comments reference the constitutional transition that occurred during Nigeria’s return to civilian rule. The 1999 Constitution was promulgated under the military administration of General Abdulsalami Abubakar, who oversaw Nigeria’s transition to democracy after years of military governance.
Pearse’s critique touches on a longstanding controversy in Nigerian legal and political circles. Many constitutional scholars and activists have argued that the 1999 Constitution lacks democratic legitimacy because it was drafted and imposed by a military regime rather than emanating from the people through a constituent assembly or referendum.
The 1963 Constitution, which Pearse referenced, was Nigeria’s republican constitution that replaced the 1960 Independence Constitution. It established Nigeria as a federal republic and was widely regarded as more democratically derived than subsequent military-era constitutions.
This debate has gained renewed urgency as various groups across Nigeria call for constitutional reform or outright replacement. Critics of the current constitution argue that its military origins undermine democratic governance and contribute to ongoing political and ethnic tensions. See, More, Here>>>
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