Igboayaka described the Constitution as “a promotion of military decree into constitution, that was not written by the people”.
The National President of the Ohanaeze Youth Council (OYC), Comrade Igboayaka O Igboayaka, has described the “indivisible and indissoluble” clause in Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution as a constitutional fraud, calling for its urgent review to allow for the self-determination of Nigerian peoples.
In a statement released on Sunday, Igboayaka criticized the 1999 Constitution, which he said was hurriedly drafted by military juntas and political elites to serve the interests of select ethnic groups while marginalizing the Igbo and other communities.
“The Nigeria Constitution is not a democratic document, but verily fraudulent. It lacks principles of democracy; therefore, Nigeria is not even a democratic country. What defines a country's democracy is the constitution. The Nigeria Constitution lacks Democratic standards in its entirety,” Igboayaka said.
Igboayaka described the Constitution as “a promotion of military decree into constitution, that was not written by the people”.
He said, “The article (2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as written by military juntas in conspiracy with her foreign allies like Britain was done with ill-intention to victimize Ndigbo on self-determination quest as stated ‘Nigeria is one indivisible and indissoluble sovereign state to be known by the name of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.’”
“The clause ‘Indivisible and Indissoluble’ is a death penalty for Nigerians, but it's significantly signified a planned slavery against Ndigbo and other ethnic groups, like Middle Belt, Hausa that are facing ethnic cleansing in the Northern Nigeria,” he said.
He argued that the clause undermines Nigeria’s obligations under international law, particularly the United Nations Charter and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which protect the right to self-determination.
According to Igboayaka, the current constitutional framework deprives Nigerian communities of the legal right to decide their own destiny, effectively denying them both internal and external self-determination.
The OYC president also attributed the origins of the clause to a combination of colonial influence and domestic political interests.
He claimed that Britain, in collaboration with the Fulani political elite and certain Yoruba actors, inserted the clause to protect economic interests tied to the oil-rich part of Eastern Nigeria.
Igboayaka further asserted that the clause has contributed to persistent ethnic tension, marginalization, and violent conflicts across the country, including attacks in the Middle Belt and Northern Nigeria.
He argued that removing or amending Section 2 of the Constitution through a referendum or sovereign national conference would provide a legal pathway for self-determination and help prevent further ethnic and political crises.
He also challenged critics of self-determination, asking: “Who is afraid of a referendum or plebiscite in Nigeria? Only British agents, political oppressors, and profiteers.”
The OYC leader’s statement reflects growing calls among some Igbo leaders and youth groups for a review of Nigeria’s federal structure and the empowerment of communities to decide their political and economic future.
Igboayaka concluded by emphasizing that the people’s right to self-determination is supreme and must be respected to ensure justice, equity, and the preservation of lives and property in Nigeria.