New constitution necessary but not urgent – Political scientists

The Nigeria Political Science Association (NPSA) has advised the federal government to focus on addressing fundamental attitudinal issues affecting the country’s social cohesion before pursuing the creation of a new constitution.

The association stated this in a statement by NPSA President, Professor Hassan Saliu, who expressed concern over the erosion of moral and ethical standards, attributing it to the root cause of Nigeria’s challenges.

While acknowledging efforts by groups such as The Patriot, which advocates for amending the 1999 Constitution, and another group led by Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, which emphasises value reorientation, Professor Saliu emphasised that Nigeria’s issues are more about the lack of adherence to moral and ethical standards than the constitution itself.

“While we do not reject the idea of a new constitution, the NPSA believes it can wait. We should leverage the good aspects of the current constitution to tackle existential challenges. Ultimately, a constitution’s spirit and unwritten national values, rather than its content, drive a nation’s progress,” Professor Saliu stated.

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He further highlighted the pervasive corruption in Nigerian society, where loopholes are exploited for personal gain, laws and agencies are ineffective, and the legislature often serves as a rubber stamp.

According to him, these issues underscore the need for a change in attitude.