The Political Objectives of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (As Amended) and the Tinubu Administration
Publication Date : 01-09-2025
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This paper examines Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution as a national policy document and evaluates the performance of the Tinubu Administration (2023–2025) in implementing its Section 15 on Political Objectives. The Constitution, as the supreme legal and political framework, outlines the guiding principles for governance, national unity, and social justice. The study conceptualizes the Constitution as both a contractual and co-ordinational instrument binding public officials to its provisions while shaping institutional relationships. Drawing comparative insights from the constitutional experiences of the United States, Ethiopia, and other federal systems, the paper situates Nigeria’s constitutional evolution within its colonial and postcolonial context, tracing the recurring challenges of implementation across successive regimes. Using qualitative analysis, the paper assesses the Tinubu Administration’s adherence to the constitutional motto of “Unity and Faith, Peace and Progress,” and its compliance with subsections on national integration and the duties of government in promoting unity, mobility, residence rights, inter-marriage, and inclusive associations. Findings reveal that while the administration has made rhetorical and partial policy efforts toward unity such as infrastructure expansion, digital connectivity, and interfaith engagement, its performance is constrained by insecurity, economic hardship, perceived ethno-regional bias, and limited institutional reforms. Initiatives promoting inclusive governance and grassroots development remain largely symbolic rather than structural. The paper concludes that the Tinubu Administration’s implementation of Section 15 is moderate but insufficient, with an overall performance rating of 40%. It recommends that the administration move beyond declaratory support to concrete institutional, legal, and socio-economic measures that advance genuine national integration and constitutional fidelity ahead of the 2027 elections.
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