Former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar (retd.), has revealed how Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution was produced, explaining that the document emerged from the urgent need to return the country to democratic rule following decades of military governance.
Speaking on the constitutional process, Abdulsalami recalled that after assuming power on June 9, 1998, following the death of General Sani Abacha on June 8, 1998, his administration was committed to handing over power to a democratically elected government within a short period.
According to him, rather than drafting an entirely new constitution, the military government relied substantially on the 1979 Constitution, which had guided Nigeria’s Second Republic between 1979 and 1983.
He explained that recommendations earlier submitted by the Constitution Debate Coordinating Committee (CDCC), established under the Abacha administration in 1994, were reviewed by a Constitution Review Committee set up by his government.
Abdulsalami noted that the limited timeframe available before the planned handover on May 29, 1999, made it impractical to embark on a lengthy nationwide constitutional drafting process. Consequently, the review committee adapted the 1979 Constitution, introducing amendments considered necessary to reflect contemporary realities and facilitate a smooth transition to civilian rule.
The former military leader acknowledged persistent criticisms of the Constitution, particularly the contention that it begins with the phrase, “We the people,” despite not being subjected to a referendum by Nigerians.
However, he maintained that the Constitution achieved its primary objective of providing a legal framework for the transition from military rule to democracy and ensuring the successful inauguration of the Fourth Republic on May 29, 1999.
Nigeria has since operated under the 1999 Constitution for more than 27 years, with several amendments enacted by the National Assembly. Nonetheless, calls for a comprehensive constitutional review and the adoption of a truly people-driven constitution continue to feature prominently in national discourse.
Abdulsalami’s remarks come amid renewed debates over restructuring, devolution of powers, state policing and broader constitutional reforms aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s federal system and democratic institutions.
