2023 Elections: Nigeria Must Go Back To 1960 Constitution To Avoid A Collapse – Afe Babalola

By Ayo Dada

While speaking at Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti (ABUAD) on Tuesday, the founder, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Aare Afe Babalola said on Tuesday that Nigeria would grind to a halt if it should conduct the 2023 general elections with the present 1999 Constitution that to avert the collapse of the country in view of the challenges created by the 1999 constitution, there was an urgent need for the National Assembly to pass a resolution adopting the 1960 Constitution before the next general elections.

The legal giant noted while speaking during a ceremony to commemorate the 12th year anniversary of the institution he helped establish, ABUAD, an institution he said had through research “contributed immensely to the socio-economic development of the country with timely innovations across all sectors.”

Babalola said, “We must avoid recycling the old failed leaders in the governance of this country. Any mistake of electing a new set of leaders under the present constitution will ruin Nigeria completely.

“The simple way out is for the National Assembly to pass a resolution adopting the 1960/1963 Constitution with necessary amendments such as having in place six regions and a one-house parliament.”

To this end, and to save Nigeria from the precipice of a very real possibility of a destructive collapse, MaTaZ ArIsInG has decided to print the table of content of the 1960 Constitution of Nigeria, and the whole constitution which can be downloaded after the table of content;

THE CONSTITUTION OF THE FEDERATION OF NIGERIA
ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS
CHAPTER I
THE FEDERATION AND ITS TERRITORIES
Section

1. Effect of this Constitution.
2. Establishment of the Federation.
3. Territories of the Federation.
4. Alteration of this Constitution.
5. Provisions relating to Regional constitutions.
6. Interpretation.
   CHAPTER II
   CITIZENSHIP
7. Persons who become citizens on 1st October 1960.
8. Persons entitled to be registered as citizens.
9. Persons naturalized or registered before 1st October, 1960.
10. Persons born in Nigeria after 30th September, 1960.
11. Persons born outside Nigeria after 30th September, 1960.
12. Dual citizenship.
13. Commonwealth citizens.
14. Criminal liability of Commonwealth citizens.
15. Powers of Parliament.
16. Interpretation.
    CHAPTER III
    FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS
17. Deprivation of life.
18. Inhuman treatment.
19. Slavery and forced labour.
20. Deprivation of personal liberty.
21. Determination of rights.
22. Private and family life.
23. Freedom of conscience.
24. Freedom of expression.

25. Peaceful assembly and association.
26. Freedom of movement
27. Freedom from discrimination.
28. Derogations from fundamental rights.
29. Reference to tribunal in certain cases.
30. Compulsory acquisition of property.
31. Special jurisdiction of High Courts in relation to this Chapter.
32. Interpretation
    CHAPTER IV
    THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL
33. Establishment of office of Governor-General.
34. Oaths to be taken by Governor-General.
35. Discharge of Governor-General’s functions during vacancy, etc.
    CHAPTER V
    PARLIAMENT
    Part 1
    Composition of Parliament
36. Establishment of Parliament.
37. Composition of Senate.
38. Composition of House of Representatives.
39. Qualifications for membership of Parliament.
40. Disqualifications for membership of Parliament, etc.
41. President of Senate.
42. Speaker of House of Representatives.
43. Right of attendance of Ministers.
44. Tenure of seats of members of Parliament.
45. Establishment of Electoral Commission.
46. Constituencies.
47. Elections.
48. Determination of questions respecting members of Parliament.
49. Clerks to Houses of Parliament and their staffs.
    Part 2
    Procedure in Parliament
50. Oaths to be taken by members of Parliament.
51. Presiding in Senate.

52. Presiding in House of Representatives.
53. Quorum in Houses of Parliament.
54. Use of English in Parliament.
55. Voting in Parliament.
56. Unqualified persons sitting or voting.
57. Mode of exercising legislative power.
58. Restrictions with regard to certain financial measures.
59. Limitation of powers of Senate.
60. Regulation of procedure in Houses of Parliament.
61. Interpretation.
    Part 3
    Summoning, prorogation and dissolution
62. Sessions of Parliament.
63. Prorogation and dissolution of Parliament.
    Part 3
    Legislative powers
64. Powers of Parliament to make laws.
65. Special powers of Parliament in relation to emergencies.
66. Special powers of Parliament when s. 80 of this Constitution has been
    contravened.
67. Powers of Parliament conferred by Regional law.
68. Powers to make grants of money, etc., for any purpose.
69. Implementation of treaties, etc.
70. Income tax and estate duty.
71. Trade and commerce.
72. Banks and banking.
73. Electricity and gas.
74. Authorities empowered to administer trusts and estates.
    Section
75. Exhibition of cinematograph films.
76. Exemption from Regional taxes with respect to mining.
77. Evidence.

CHAPTER VI
EXECUTIVE POWERS

78. Exercise of executive authority of Federation.
79. Extent of executive authority of Federation.
80. Executive authority of Regions.
81. Ministers of Government of Federation.
82. Establishment of Council of Ministers.
83. Collective responsibility.
84. Allocation of portfolios to Ministers.
85. Performance of functions of Prime Minister during absence or illness.
86. Exercise of Governor-General’s powers.
87. Governor-General to be informed concerning matters of government.
88. Parliamentary Secretaries.
89. Oaths to be taken by Ministers, etc.
90. Permanent secretaries.
91. Constitution of offices for Federation, etc.
92. Delegation of executive authority of Federation.
93. Delegation of executive authority of Region.
94. Prerogative of mercy.
95. Establishment of Advisory Council on Prerogative of Mercy.
96. Functions of Advisory Council.
97. Public prosecutions.
    CHAPTER VII
    POLICE
98. Establishment of Nigeria Police Force.
99. Control of Nigeria Police Force.
100. Establishment of Nigeria Police Council.
101. Functions of Nigeria Police Council.
102. Establishment of Police Service Commission.
103. Appointments to Nigeria Police Force, etc.

CHAPTER VIII
COURTS
Part 1
The Federal Supreme Court

104. Establishment of Federal Supreme Court.
105. Appointment of Chief Justice of Federation and Federal Justices.
106. Tenure of office of Chief Justice of Federation and Federal Justices.
107. Original jurisdiction of Federal Supreme Court.
108. Questions as to interpretation of this Constitution.
109. Advisory jurisdiction of Federal Supreme Court.
110. Appeals to Federal Supreme. Court from High Courts.
111. Appeals to Federal Supreme Court from other Federal Courts, etc:
112. Appeals to Federal Supreme Court from Sharia Court of Appeal
     and Court of Resolution.
113. Powers, practice and procedure of Federal Supreme Court. Part 2
     Appeals to Her Majesty in Council
     Section
114. Appeals from Federal Supreme Court to Her Majesty in Council.
     Part 3
     The High Court of the Federal Territory
115. Establishment of High Court of Lagos.
116. Appointment of judges of High Court of Lagos.
117. Tenure of office of judges of High Court of Lagos.
118. Appeals to High Court of Lagos from subordinate courts.

Part 4
General

119. Establishment of courts.
120. Establishment of Judicial Service Commission.
121. Appointment, etc., of officers connected with courts of Federation
     or Federal territory.
122. Oaths to be taken by judges. CHAPTER IX
     FINANCE
     Part 1
     Public Funds of the Federation
123. Establishment of Consolidated Revenue Fund.
124. Authorisation of expenditure from Consolidated Revenue Fund.
125. Authorisation of expenditure in advance of appropriation.
126. Contingencies Fund.
127. Remuneration of Governor-General and certain other officers.
128. Audit of public accounts.
129. Public debt. Part 2
     Allocation of revenue
130. Import duties on certain commodities.
131. Import duties on motor spirit and tobacco.
132. Excise duties.
133. Export duties.
134. Mining royalties and rents.
135. Distribution of funds in Distributable Pool Account.
136. Regions to contribute towards costs of administration.
137. Set-off.
138. Sums charged on Consolidated Revenue Funds.
139. Provisions with regard to payments.

CHAPTER X
THE PUBLIC SEP. VICE OF 1’HE FEDERATION

140. Establishment of Public Service Commission.
141. Appointment, etc., of officers in public service.
142. Appointment, etc., or principal representatives of Federation abroad.
143. Appointment, etc., of permanent secretaries.

Section

144. Qualifications of Director of Public Prosecutions.
145. Tenure of office of Director of Public Prosecutions.
146. Appointment and tenure of office of Director of Audit.
147. Powers relating to Clerks of Houses of Parliament.
148. Protection of pension rights.
149. Powers of Public Service Commission in relation to grant of
     pensions, etc.
     CHAPTER XI
     MlSCELLANEOUS
150. Powers and procedure of Federal Commissions.
151. Resignations.
152. Re-appointments, etc~
153. Review of ss. 134 and 135 of this Constitution.
154. Interpretation. THE SCHEDULE
     THE LEGISLATIVE LISTS
     Part I
     The Exclusive Legislative List
     Part II
     The Concurrent Legislative List
     Part III

DOWNLOAD below, the 1960 Constitution of Nigeria;

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