VIEW FROM THE GALLERY BY MAHMUD JEGA The principal law that governed the Fourth Republic in its 25-year existence, by far the longest of any previous Republic in this country, has been the 1999 Constitution. It is itself a slight modification of the first presidential-system constitution we first adopted in 1979. This Constitution outlined the powers and subtly indicated its expectations for each of the main institutions of the Fourth Republic.

In 25 years however, we can see that some institutions exceeded their constitutionally-assigned powers. Other institutions shirked their powers. Still others failed to live up to constitutional expectations, while yet other institutions not mentioned in the Constitution emerged and acquired more power than the Constitution-created agencies.

There was this panel beater at Sokoto’s J Allen mechanic’s village who wrote on his shop, “Spray, painter and panel beating.” The Constitution itself has undergone “spray, painter and panel beating” under every National Assembly session in this Republic. Yet, some people are still not satisfied.

They want to overhaul its engine, change its gearbox, replace its dashboard, replace its tyres, change its brainbox and battery, change the headlights, replace the shock absorbers and discard the silencer. In 1979 when Nigeria first adopted the presidential system of government, Africa magazine described the Presidency as the “star prize” of political contest. It has more than lived up to thi.