According to Section 308 of the Nigerian Constitution, no criminal trial or proceedings can be initiated against any sitting president or governor in the country.
The Gani Fawehinmi Memorial Organisation (GAFAMORG) has called for the immediate abolition of the immunity clause being enjoyed by the Nigerian President, Vice President, state governors and their deputies.
According to Section 308 of the Nigerian Constitution, no criminal trial or proceedings can be initiated against any sitting president or governor in the country.
The political officeholders have been abusing the privilege, rendering the constitutional provision disadvantageous to the political growth of the country.
In a press statement issued by Agunbiade Tunde, the Chairman of the Governing Council of the organisation, the present socio-economic challenges in the country are linked to systematic failures.
The statement added that the late Chief Gani Fawehinmi would “be saddened in his grave by the state of education, food, water job, housing, economy, and security in Nigeria.”
The statement continued: “The utter contradiction of abundance and poverty foist on the Nigerian people is wicked.
“Our rulers masquerading as leaders swim in abundance and engage in ostentatious living while the citizens wallow in abject poverty of unimaginable magnitude as our commonwealth is daily plundered.
“Chief Gani Fawehinmi's Words on Marble posited that ‘The issue of corruption is fundamental in the governance of any nation. It affects the economy in its entirety. No country can effectively and properly develop if corruption holds sway as all aspects of human existence will be negatively affected where the state encourages corruption.’”
The organisation asked “how such a government and its anti-corruption and law enforcement institutions will be interested in bringing to book all those who are in cahoots with them as they commit those heinous violations against the Nigerian Constitution, defiled the electoral laws, and raped the political wish and integrity of Nigerians”.
It said, “Justifiable and as nice as the idea of setting up the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), and the current cat and mouse saga between the former Governor of Kogi State and the EFCC, it shows that the way the fight against corruption is being conducted cannot retard the inhibitive progress of corruption.
“The current face-off between the proponents of zero tolerance for corruption and the rule of law activists is very amusing since both albeit in favor of the status quo.
“The plain truth is that the rule of law applies to big-time head robbers, it does not extend to hundreds and thousands of petty looters/thieves and fraudsters.
“Our prisons are crammed with (people) awaiting trial and inmates of miscellaneous offences, many are languishing in police stations, NDLEA, EFCC, NCS offices and paramilitary/security commands across the country.”