Managing Constitutional Change in the Nigerian Federation

Since making the transition from military to civilian rule in 1999, Nigeria has witnessed intensive, but largely unfulfilled, pressures for comprehensive federal constitutional change. This article analyzes the multiple ethno-political drivers and institutional themes of Nigeria's constitutiona...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Publius 2015-10, Vol.45 (4), p.552-579
Main Author: Suberu, Rotimi
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Analysis
Company business management
Constitutional amendments
Constitutional ratification
Constitutions
Federal government
Federalism
Governmental reform
Management
Ratification
Reforms
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Summary:Since making the transition from military to civilian rule in 1999, Nigeria has witnessed intensive, but largely unfulfilled, pressures for comprehensive federal constitutional change. This article analyzes the multiple ethno-political drivers and institutional themes of Nigeria's constitutional struggles, the conflicting approaches to federal reform by governmental, civic, and ethno-regional groups, and potential pathways to a more effective governance of the country's constitutional challenges. The article contends that incremental constitutional change and non-constitutional renewal, including benign constitutional transgressions and creative legislative and judicial interventions, offer the most feasible path to federal accommodation and development in Nigeria in the absence of national consensus on the desirability and modality of wholesale, mega-constitutional reform.
ISSN:0048-5950
1747-7107
DOI:10.1093/publius/pjv014