Justifying the Assertion that ‘In Nigeria, the Function of the Rule of Law is Performed by a Supreme Constitution’

Abstract

Rule of law, no doubt is the engine for sustainable democracy and successive Nigerian Constitutions have ensured its continued relevance in our legal system. This is exemplified by the supremacy clause and the fundamental rights recognition by our constitution. The implication of this is the constant re-echo of the essence of the rule of law in the preservation of the political, economic, social, and cultural liberty of the citizenry. Hence, this paper reviews theoretically, the role of the Nigerian supreme constitution in the application of the rule of laws in the Nigerian legal system. The paper argues that effective and efficient operation of the doctrine of rule of law in a nascent democracy like Nigeria requires committed and concerted effort with a view to upholding the constitutional provisions. This writer believes that the problem of social injustice could be surmounted if the formulators and implementers of public policy are responsive to the constitutional procedures meant to guide them in the exercise of their functions. This will ensure sustainable stability among the government, the governed and governance.