That should be good enough for them even at the level of the executive it is an unfair law when it comes to equity. Now to extend it to the level of legislatures is taking unfairness to a new height, a new under-serving height because impunity will now govern our socio-political climes. The reasons why several former Governors are able to get away with glue murder is because when they were committing the crimes against humanity by embezzling the resources that belongs to all of us, they could not be checked by the law, by the extinct law so they have amount too wealth with which they could fight us when we raise questions.
That would be extended to the legislatures, if the bills scale through, there could be allowance for them to do a few things like whatever they says in the chambers should not be taking against them we allow that, but if we give them that immunity they will overstep their bounds, they will embezzle money, they will kill people, they will legislate nonsense and they will get away with it.
They will not be accountable to the people that sent them there, they won’t be transparent, already many of them collected constituency allowances they didn’t spend it on their constituency offices, they did not do anything to justify what they take, so that is when they don’t have immunity, when they could investigated and prosecuted yet they want more and people like Bukola Saraki would have acceding hide under immunity clause for the period he was Governor and the advantage he had in the National Assembly was what he used to also evade justice at different levels.
If he had immunity he would have been committing further atrocities, it is the deterrent he got that by share prosecution that the anti-graft agency summon together to bring him before justices that reduce the amount of atrocities that he committed in his days as the chairman of the National Assembly and President of the Senate. So if you give them an inch they will take a yard, give them a yard they will take a mile. So we should not give them that inch so that at least we will be able to monitor them within the limit that the law permits us to monitor them and there would be checks and balances at the end of the day that is my stand.
If they have, if immunity is extended to legislature is going to take away some of the powers of the Anti-graft agencies, already their powers has been truncated, has been reduced by the immunity that is protecting the executives from prosecution and the executives have on their own, extended it to the level of investigation so they don’t submit themselves for investigation not to talk of prosecution. The same thing will happen at the level of legislative edge if they allow to also enjoying the immunity why they remain in the office. It is unwarranted, is unnecessary, it is bastardisation of the principle of equality before the law. And check and balances will be difficult because the judiciary will also ask for immunity for their leaders.
If that is done gradually it will percolate to the level of Local Government, the Chairman and the Counselor will also ask for immunity and gradually members of the National Assembly and State Assembly will also ask for immunity, it would then means that none of our leaders could be held accountable for their stewardship while they remain in office, that is inequitable, that is undemocratic, that is lopsided and it should not be acceptable within the committee of men and women.
Held on 25/2/2020
