AN ANALYSIS OF THE PRACTICE AND PROCESSES OF CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT IN NIGERIA

Constitution is the paramount source of all legal cum political authority in a polity. Nigeria operates a written and supreme Constitution. One aspect of supremacy of the Constitution is that the National Assembly alone is incapable of altering it without collaboration with the State Houses of Assembly or with the people’s vote in a referendum. Amendments of some provisions in the Constitution, that are deemed so important, are made so onerous bordering on impossibility. This paper examines the processes and procedures for amendment of the Constitution by analysing the constitutional requirements for the amendment and insights of authors as well as judicial pronouncements on some aspects in the area. The paper concludes by advancing useful suggestions towards effective use of the opportunity present in constitutional amendment.