By: Sunday Ameh
A former senator who represented Ogun Central Senatorial District, Senator Femi Okurounmu, has alleged that Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution structurally favours the northern region, warning that the imbalance has continued to shape governance outcomes and deepen political and economic challenges across the country.
Okurounmu, a chieftain of the pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, made the claim during an exclusive interview on Frontline, a current affairs programme on Eagle 102.5 FM, Ilese-Ijebu, Ogun State, on Wednesday.
The elder statesman, who served in Nigeria’s First Senate, examined the relationship between democratic governance and economic policy while raising concerns about the constitutional foundation upon which the country’s democracy is built, arguing that without addressing these structural issues, national development efforts may continue to face significant setbacks.
“I will let you know that the problem is much more complicated than that,” he said. “The 1999 constitution has more or less tilted all the structures of governance in favour of the north. The north has infiltrated the central government so much that whoever is the president does not matter. The north still controls the government.”
1999 Constitution as a Military Imposition
Okurounmu described the 1999 Constitution as lacking democratic legitimacy, insisting it was not a product of popular participation but a document imposed by the military. He traced its origin to the administration of former Head of State, General Sani Abacha, noting that the process leading to its adoption did not involve adequate consultation with Nigerians.
“The 1999 constitution was simply a decree which Abacha brought out and turned into a constitution for us,” he said. “That so-called constitution was not even made known to the public until after the elections, so that even the president who was going to take over was not aware of the constitution by which he was going to govern when he was contesting the election.”
The former lawmaker also argued that the 1999 Constitution bears significant similarities to the 1979 Constitution, which he said was engineered under the Murtala Muhammad and Obasanjo military administration and contained structural imbalances that have persisted to this day.
“The 1999 constitution virtually gives veto power to the north over how Nigeria will be governed. All the structures of governance are tilted to the north,” he said.
Structural Imbalance and Northern Advantage
Expanding on his position, Okurounmu argued that the North’s numerical advantage in states and local government areas translates directly into greater representation in both the Senate and the House of Representatives, shaping legislative outcomes in its favour.
“The north has advantages in the number of states, which means it also has advantages in the number of senators in the National Assembly.
The north has advantages in the number of local governments, which means it also has an overwhelming advantage in the number of members of the House of Representatives,” he said. “No decision can be taken in those houses unless the north is agreeable to it.”
He warned that such dominance risks deepening feelings of marginalisation among other regions, fuelling agitation and threatening national cohesion.
Failed Attempts at Restructuring
Okurounmu reflected on decades of reform efforts that have failed to yield meaningful results, recalling his involvement in several advocacy initiatives, including the 2014 National Conference convened to address the country’s structural challenges.
“We spent years advocating for restructuring and participated in processes that were meant to correct these imbalances,” he said. “That conference came up with recommendations that, if implemented, would have brought some level of fairness and efficiency into the system. Unfortunately, those recommendations were ignored and have remained largely unimplemented.”
He expressed disappointment that successive administrations have lacked the political will to act on such proposals, arguing that this failure has prolonged governance challenges.
The elder statesman further argued that the constitutional structure itself limits the effectiveness of any elected president, suggesting that the system — not the individual — largely determines governance outcomes.
“Whoever is the president under this constitution does not really matter as much as people think, because the structure itself controls governance,” he said. “The way power is distributed makes it difficult for any president to implement far-reaching changes, even if they have the intention to do so.”
Okurounmu noted that even President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration operates within these constraints, maintaining that without structural reforms, expectations for transformative governance would remain unmet.
On the question of insecurity, Okurounmu linked the country’s security crisis to deeper systemic and structural issues within governance, arguing that persistent violence and instability cannot be properly understood without examining the underlying political framework.
“When you look at the insecurity situation in Nigeria today, it is not something that can be explained away as mere criminality or isolated acts of violence,” he said. “There are deeper systemic issues at play, connected to how the country is structured and governed. Until we address those underlying problems, it will be difficult to achieve lasting peace and stability.”
He also commented on agitation for an Igbo nation, saying the aspiration for self-determination is not in itself wrong, but taking issue with the methods employed by some separatist groups.
“The agitation itself is not bad; it’s the way they are going about it that is not good. They are going about it using force and intimidation, even killing one another. But if ethnic nationalities all meet and decide that the way to have peace is for each to have their own nations, why not?” he said.
Okurounmu warned that Nigeria risks becoming increasingly difficult to sustain as a unified nation if current challenges are left unaddressed, calling for a fresh and inclusive national conversation among all ethnic nationalities.
“The country is becoming unsustainable as one nation if we continue with this structure without making the necessary adjustments,” he said. “What we need now is a sincere and honest conversation among all the ethnic nationalities that make up Nigeria, so that we can decide on a framework that ensures peace, fairness and mutual respect.”
While acknowledging the failure of past restructuring efforts, he insisted the conversation must continue, urging political leaders and stakeholders to prioritise national unity and equity, warning that failure to do so could have lasting consequences for Nigeria’s stability.
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