Isaac Samuel
New details have emerged about the key issues expected to shape discussions at the upcoming national political summit convened by The Patriots, under the leadership of former Commonwealth Secretary General, Chief Emeka Anyaoku.
The summit aims to develop a functional and inclusive constitutional framework for Nigeria.
A draft agenda of the summit lists 34 crucial items for deliberation, pending final approval by the organisers.
These proposed issues span across core areas of governance, including structural reforms at federal, state, and local government levels, security sector reorganisation, and institutional accountability.
The summit, initially scheduled for May 27 and 28, has been postponed to June 11 and 12.
The change was informed by the need to avoid a scheduling conflict with activities marking the 26th anniversary of Nigeria’s return to civil rule on May 29.
Among the topics up for consideration are judicial procedures for handling corruption and trust-related offences, remuneration structures for legislators and public servants, electoral system reform, political party organisation, revenue sharing formula, and federal fiscal arrangements.
ALSO READ ADC woos Jonathan as Mark, Atiku insist on primaries Isaac Samuel The race to the 2027 presidency took a dramatic turn this week as the African Democratic Congress (ADC) intensified efforts to lure former President Goodluck Jonathan into its fold. Jonathan, it was gathered is also taking decisive moves to reset opposition strategy and mount a formidable challenge against President Bola Tinubu. The former President held a closed-door meeting held in Abuja on Thursday with ADC National Chairman, Senator David Mark. Jonathan, who publicly met with politicians and party leaders for the first time since his rumoured bid to return to power, met the ADC stakeholders at the home of Mark. Seen in a viral video as he walked into the expansive residence of the former Senate President in Abuja, others with Mark were former Minister of Sports and ADC spokesperson, Malam Bolaji Abdullahi as well as a former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, among others. Sources claimed the former president has begun consultations ahead of the 2027 polls following increasing pressure to get in the ring and ‘save’ the nation. But it was learnt that the former President's bid to return to Aso Rock on the platform of the opposition coalition may have hit an early stumbling block. At Thursday’s meeting, Mark was said to have told the former president in clear terms that the only path to the party’s presidential ticket was through the front door by formally joining the party and submitting himself to a transparent primary election. Unable to secure any guarantees, Jonathan and Mark agreed to meet again soon to review the situation. It was learnt that the ADC is moving to draft Jonathan into the race beccause he is seen as a compromise candidate, but his strong base used to be the South-East which is now the political fortress of Obi. But Jonathan is not alone in seeking assurances. Both former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, are also pressing the ADC leadership for firm commitments before they take the plunge. The party’s new leadership, however, has refused to make such promises, a development that explains why all three leading contenders are still holding back from declaring for the party. For them, early commitment without certainty could prove politically fatal. Aligning with the ADC and then losing its ticket could leave any of the trio stranded and without a viable political vehicle ahead of 2027. Obi has consistently insisted that power must remain in the South for equity, even pledging to serve a single term if elected. But his camp remains opposed to any vice-presidential offer, warning that such a move would be politically suicidal after his strong showing in 2023. For Atiku, who resigned from the PDP in July, the plan is to complete ongoing grassroots mobilisation before formally collecting his ADC membership card in Adamawa. While Atiku insists he is ready for an open primary, his increasing influence within ADC backed by significant political investments is fuelling fears that the presidential ticket may already be tilted in his favour. That dynamic, party figures say, could force Jonathan and Obi to reconsider their strategies. Meanwhile, the ADC leadership is trying to project unity. After a caucus meeting in Abuja attended by Mark, Atiku, former governors Nasir El-Rufai, Aminu Tambuwal and Rotimi Amaechi, the party directed all undecided members to resign from their existing parties. Peter Obi, a member of the coalition party, had yet to disclaim his membership of Labour Party (LP). Atiku is also yet to get his ADC membership even though he has resigned from PDP. National Publicity Secretary of ADC, Bolaji Abdullahi, disclosed the new directive while addressing journalists in Abuja, after a caucus meeting attended by top party leaders and political figures. Abdullahi said, “Though final order has been given to all members to resign membership of other political parties, the caucus was silent on the timeline.” The caucus also announced that all issues concerning African Democratic Association (ADA) had been concluded. According to Abdullahi, “The coalition has rested everything concerning the ADA. That means they are not interested in the registration or otherwise of the association.” On the 2027 presidential race, Abdullahi said ADC’s presidential aspirants had agreed to back whoever emerged winner of the primaries. “All the presidential aspirants have agreed to support whoever wins the primaries election,” he stated. The ADC spokesman further revealed that the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) would soon announce dates for primaries in Osun and Ekiti states ahead of the off-cycle governorship elections in both states. Those present at the meeting included National Chairman, David Mark; former Vice President Atiku Abubakar; National Secretary, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola; former Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai; former Sokoto State Governor, Senator Aminu Tambuwal; and former Rivers State Governor, Chibuike Amaechi.
Other key issues include resource control and management, redefinition of concurrent legislative responsibilities, resolution of regional boundary disputes, and promotion of equal rights across federating units.
The proposal also touches on the status of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), the composition and powers of the Federal Executive Council, presidential authority, and the creation of ethnically homogeneous states.
The document, titled “Issues to be Presented by the Secretariat for Consideration and Ratification by the Summit”, stresses that the 2025 summit provides an opportunity to present prepared issues for review and endorsement by delegates.
Accepted recommendations will form the foundation for post-summit advocacy efforts directed at the National Assembly.
It also recalls the 2014 National Conference convened by then-President Goodluck Jonathan, which addressed issues of governance, security, and national unity.
The document described that initiative as an important but incomplete attempt to reform the 1999 Constitution, which continues to face widespread criticism for its structural limitations.
Among the standout proposals is the establishment of a Technical Panel to Facilitate Constitutional Reforms in Nigeria (TPF-CRN). This body, to be constituted by the President, would oversee the process of drafting both regional and federal constitutions through a people-driven approach.
According to the draft” “The panel will facilitate the processes towards the drafting of the Regional and then the Federal Constitutions by the people of Nigeria.”
It outlines several functions for the panel, including: Supporting voluntary interaction and cooperation among linguistic and ethnic nationalities;
Guiding the aggregation of groups into socio-political units based on territory, resource control, and self-governance;
Providing secretariat and advisory support to help these units develop governing structures and draft regional constitutions;
Convening a convention of legitimate representatives from the new regions to discuss and agree on the form and content of a federal governance framework.
The ultimate goal is to present the agreed framework for ratification and enactment into a new Constitution for the Federation of Nigerian Nations (FNN). The document stresses that the outcome shall not be abridged or tampered with in whatever form.
It proposes a six-month timeline for the National Assembly to pass the new constitution, which would then be sent to state assemblies for ratification.
Upon securing majority approval, it would be subjected to a nationwide vote. If passed by a simple majority, the new constitution would become legally binding.
The document also advocates confronting Nigeria’s ethnic complexity head-on rather than viewing it as an obstacle. It proposes restructuring Nigeria into 10 states and several federal territories to reflect the identities of the country’s 360 ethnic groups:
It further critiques the existing governance structure, describing the proliferation of political offices—109 senators, 360 House members, 36 state governments and assemblies, and 774 local councils—as unsustainable and self-serving:
“The political class is merely self-serving at the expense of citizens. Nigeria is unlikely to fare well any much longer.”
The summit is expected to provide a platform for robust dialogue and chart a new course for Nigeria’s governance architecture.
