A historic national summit is to be held in Abuja this week to endorse what the conveners believe will be a people’s constitution for Nigeria.

The event is expected to be attended by eminent Nigerians, including elder statesmen, former leaders, civil society actors, and constitutional experts.

They are coming together to present a Draft Legislative Bill for a New Constitution to the Presidency and the National Assembly.

The three-day event, called the National Summit on the Future of Nigeria’s Constitutional Democracy, is expected to be held from tomorrow till Thursday, July 17.

The summit, with the theme: Actualising a Constitutional Democracy That Works for All in Nigeria, is the brainchild of The PATRIOTS in collaboration with the Nigerian Political Summit Group (NPSG).

It aims to lay the groundwork for replacing the 1999 Constitution, widely criticised for being imposed by the military without broad public consultation.

Led by a former Commonwealth Secretary-General and Chair of The PATRIOTS, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, the summit is expected to attract a powerful array of national figures.

These include Prof. Wole Soyinka, Gen. T. Y. Danjuma, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), NLC President, Joe Ajaero, and Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, among others.

Also playing leading roles are former Governors Gbenga Daniel and Aminu Tambuwal, who co-chair the Organizing Committee, and Prof. Mike Ozekhome (SAN), who leads the Summit’s Resolutions Committee.

The organizers have said the summit would consolidate years of consultations and civic engagement to produce a new constitutional framework that promotes federalism, justice, electoral integrity, institutional reform, and inclusive development.

“This is a national call to action to reshape Nigeria’s constitutional foundation,” said the Head of the Summit Joint Secretariat, Sir Olawale Okunniyi. “We are inviting all Nigerians to join in this transformative process.”

The 1999 Constitution has been faulted for Nigeria’s systemic challenges, including insecurity, poor service delivery, economic centralization, and weakened institutions. The proposed new constitution, according to the conveners, seeks to reflect Nigeria’s diversity and give citizens more control over their governance.

The summit will feature plenary sessions, expert presentations, and stakeholder consultations.

Civic organizations, traditional leaders, media, youth groups, and political actors are encouraged to attend or follow proceedings. (The Nation)