Your Periodic Attempts To Review 1999 Constitution, A Waste Of Resources, Gov Diri Tells Lawmakers

Bayelsa State governor, Senator Douye Diri, has openly criticised Nigeria’s repeated attempts to amend the 1999 Constitution, describing the ongoing review process as a “waste of public resources, human effort, and time.”

Speaking during a public engagement on Friday, Diri expressed frustration over what he termed an “annual ritual” of constitutional review by successive National Assemblies, with little or no tangible outcome.

“This annual ritual is not good for us as a state and as a country. We cannot be holding constitutional review sessions in every assembly session in the National Assembly and nothing comes out of it,” he said.

Diri noted that while constitution reform was vital, the current cycle of endless reviews without implementation raises serious questions about Nigeria’s democratic process.

“As I said earlier, we are all praying that this will be different and there should be an end to it. It is becoming more like a waste of resources, human efforts, and a waste of time for both those in the National Assembly and indeed for the country at large,” the governor stated.

He further lamented that despite several constitution review exercises over the years, none has resulted in meaningful legal or structural reforms.

“If we have no end to constitutional review and the constitutional review has to be continued in every new Assembly, then there is something wrong with us and our democracy,” Diri said. “So I want to believe that this government has what it takes to implement the decisions that will be arrived at through these efforts you are putting in for the review.”

The governor’s remarks came at a time when the debate over the future of Nigeria’s structure continues to polarize political discourse. While some stakeholders advocated a complete redrafting of the 1999 Constitution to reflect contemporary realities, others insisted on a piecemeal amendment approach.

Diri’s blunt assessment, however, placed the spotlight on the recurring cycle of constitutional promises and perceived inaction that has long defined Nigeria’s legislative terrain.

“We have heard a lot of reviews over the period, but none of them has seen the light of day,” the governor concluded.