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New Constitution now law

    ABIDJAN

    Nigeria's outgoing military ruler, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, signed the country's new constitution into law on Wednesday, state-owned Voice of Nigeria radio reported.

    Abubakar said the new document, patterned after the suspended 1979 constitution, will give more powers to the country's 36 states. Although details of it are yet to be made public, Abubakar said the constitution had been amended "in consonance with the peoples' yearnings for true federalism", AFP reported. It comes into effect on 29 May, the day the incoming civilian government assumes power.

    Pro-democracy groups have criticised the military for not publishing the document. However, Abubakar said it would be made public soon.

    This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions

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