CONSTITUTION OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA,

1 CONSTITUTION . OF THE. FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF nigeria , 1999. [With the First, Second and Third Alterations]. Produced by FEDERAL Ministry of Justice, Abuja CONSTITUTION . OF THE. FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF nigeria , 1999. Produced by FEDERAL Ministry of Justice, Abuja FOREWORD. In keeping with the constitutional responsibility of my Office as the Chief Law Officer of the federation and the mandate of the FEDERAL Ministry of Justice to ensure that legislation in the public domain are comprehensive, certain and predictable, the imperativeness of producing for circulation the authentic version of the 1999 CONSTITUTION with its 1st, 2nd and 3rd Alterations as passed by the National Assembly in 2010 and gazetted by the FEDERAL Government Printer in 2011 is of utmost importance and priority.

2 By virtue of section 22 (1) of the Interpretation Act, CAP 123, laws of the federation of nigeria , 2004, where an enactment is amended by the insertion or omission of words or by the substitution of words for other words, then on printing the enactment at any time after the amendment takes effect, the person authorized to print the enactment shall, if so directed by the Attorney General of the federation , print the enactment as so amended. I have therefore directed the FEDERAL Government Printer to print the CONSTITUTION with the First, Second and third Alterations. In line with the provisions of the section 22 (2) of the Interpretation Act (supra), the FEDERAL Government Printer has included special side notes as indicators of the amendment and the enactment of which it was made.

3 The rationale for this production at this point in time is as a result of the recent unwholesome development of the circulation of different versions of the 1999. CONSTITUTION (with its Alterations) by some vendors without my seal of authority 1. and approval leading to the situation whereby erroneous and misleading provisions are contained in some of the copies of the CONSTITUTION in circulation. I therefore recommend this publication of the 1999 CONSTITUTION with its Alterations as passed by the National Assembly to date to all institutions, persons seeking to know the current constitutional provisions applicable in nigeria and to the general public for use and appropriate guidance.

4 MOHAMMED BELLO ADOKE, SAN, CFR. Honourable Attorney General of the federation and Minister of Justice 2. CONSTITUTION of the FEDERAL REPUBLIC of nigeria (i). CONSTITUTION OF THE. FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF nigeria , 1999. ACT No. 24. AN A CT TO P ROMULGATE THE C ONSTITUTION OF THE. F EDERAL REPUBLIC OF nigeria 1999 ;. [5th May, 1999] Commence- ment. WHEREAS the FEDERAL Government of the FEDERAL REPUBLIC of nigeria in compoiance with the Transition to Civil Rule (Political Programme) Act 1998 has, through the Independent National Electoral Commission, conducted elections to the office of President and Vice-President, Governors and Deputy-Governors, Chairmen and Vice-Chairmen, the National Assembly, the Houses of Assembly and the Local Government Councils.

5 AND WHEREAS the FEDERAL Government in furtherance of its commitment to hand over to a democratically elected civilian administration on 29th May, 1999, inaugurated on 11th November 1998, the Constitutional Debate Co-ordinating Committee charged with responsibility to, among other things, pilot the debate on the new CONSTITUTION for nigeria , co-ordinate and collate views and recommendations canvassed by individuals and groups for a new CONSTITUTION for nigeria ;. AND WHEREAS the Constitutional Debate Co-ordinating Committee benefitted from the receipt of large volumes of memoranda from Nigerians at home and abroad and oral presentations at the public hearings at the debate centres throughout the country and the conclusions arrived thereat and also at various seminars, workshops and conferences organised and was convinced that the general consensus of opinion of Nigerians is the desire to retain the provisions of the 1979 CONSTITUTION of the FEDERAL REPUBLIC of nigeria with some amendments.

6 A ND W HEREAS the Constitutional Debate Co-ordinating Committee has presented the report of its deliberations to the Provisional Ruling Council ;. A ND WHEREAS the Provisional Ruling Council has approved the report, subject to such amendments as are deemed necessary in the public interest and for the purpose of promoting the security, welfare and good governance and fostering the unity and progress of the people of nigeria with a view to achieving its objective of handing over an enduring CONSTITUTION to the people of nigeria ;. AND WHEREAS it is necessary, in accordance with the programme on transition to civil rule, for the CONSTITUTION of the FEDERAL REPUBLIC of nigeria 1979, after necessary amendments and approval by the Provisional Ruling Council, to be promulgated into a new CONSTITUTION for the FEDERAL REPUBLIC of nigeria in order to give the same force of law with effect from 29th may 1999 : (ii) CONSTITUTION of the FEDERAL REPUBLIC of nigeria Now therefore, the FEDERAL Government of nigeria hereby enacts.

7 1. Promulgation of the CONSTITUTION of the FEDERAL REPUBLIC of nigeria 1999. (1) There shall be for nigeria a CONSTITUTION which shall be as set out in the Schedule to this Act. (2) The CONSTITUTION set out in the Scedule to this Act shall come into force on 29 May 1999. S CHEDULE. (3) Whenever it may hereafter be necessary for the CONSTITUTION to be printed it shall be lawful for the FEDERAL Government Printer to omit all parts of this Act apart from the Schedule and the CONSTITUTION as so printed shall have the force of law notwithstanding the omission. Citation. 2. This Act may be cited as the CONSTITUTION of the FEDERAL REPUBLIC of etc, nigeria (Promulgation) Act.

8 CONSTITUTION . CONSTITUTION OF THE. of the FEDERAL REPUBLIC of nigeria FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF nigeria 1999. ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS. Section CHAPTER III. CHAPTER I CITIZENSHIP. 25. Citizenship by birth. GENERAL PROVISIONS 26. Citizenship by registration. Part I FEDERAL REPUBLIC of nigeria 27. Citizenship by naturalisation.. 1. Supremacy of the CONSTITUTION . 28. Dual citizenship. 2. The FEDERAL REPUBLIC of nigeria . 29. Renunciation of citizenship. 3. States of the federation and the FEDERAL 30. Deprivation of citizenship. Capital Territory, Abuja. 31. Persons deemed to be Nigerian citizens. 32. Power to make regulations.

9 Part II Powers of the FEDERAL REPUBLIC of nigeria . CHAPTER IV. 4. Legislative powers. FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS. 5. Executive powers. 33. Right to life. 6. Judicial powers. 34. Right to dignity of human person. 7. Local government system. 35. Right to personal liberty. 8. New States and boundary adjustment, etc. 36. Right to fair hearing. 9. Mode of altering provisions of the 37. Right to private and family life. CONSTITUTION . 38. Right to freedom of thought, conscience 10. Prohibition of State Religion. and religion. 11. Public order and public security. 39. Right to freedom of expression and the 12. Implementation of treaties.

10 Press. CHAPTER II 40. Right to peaceful assembly and association. FUNDAMENTAL OBJECTIVES AND 41. Right to freedom of movement. DIRECTIVE PRINCIPLES OF STATE POLICY. 42. Right to freedom from discrimination. 13. Fundamental obligations of the 43. Right to acquire and own immovable Government. property anywhere in nigeria . 14. The Government and the people. 44. Compulsory acquisition of property. 15. Political objectives. 45. Restriction on and derogation from 16. Economic objectives. fundamental rights. 17. Social objectives. 46. Special jurisdiction of High Court and 18. Educational objectives. legal aid.