Abubakar calls for removal of military decrees from Nigeria's 1999 Constitution

Former Nigerian Head of State Abdulsalami Abubakar has called for the removal of military decrees that critics claim were "smuggled" into the nation's 1999 Constitution. Abubakar, who led Nigeria from 1998 to 1999 and oversaw the transition to the current democratic era, acknowledged that some military decrees might be part of the document.

He emphasized that in a democracy, any required amendments or removals should follow established democratic procedures. "There’s no perfect constitution in the world," Abubakar stated in his autobiography, "Call of Duty," launched recently in Abuja. He stressed that democracy is dynamic and laws should evolve to meet the people's needs.

Abubakar's administration handed over power to former President Olusegun Obasanjo in May 1999, ushering in over two decades of uninterrupted democracy. He has since become an elder statesman, involved in peace-building initiatives across Africa and chairing Nigeria’s National Peace Committee.

Despite the long period of civilian rule, some Nigerians have criticized provisions within the 1999 Constitution, citing rapid societal and political developments. The National Assembly has amended the constitution five times since 1999, with significant resources allocated to these exercises. The current review, led by Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, is expected to conclude by the end of 2026. Controversial clauses often cited include the Land Use Act and the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) mandate.

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Democracy is always in motion. Every day, new laws are made to reflect the needs of the people. If the argument is that it is a “military” constitution because it was promulgated with military decrees, we are now in a democracy and whatever changes need to be made should be made democratically and in line with laid-down procedures. There’s no perfect constitution in the world.