Abolish immunity for governors, Apapa urges N/Assembly – National Accord Newspaper

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Abolish immunity for governors, Apapa urges N/Assembly

A Labor Party leader, Alhaji Lamidi Apapa, has urged the National Assembly to repeal the law that gives governors and their deputies immunity from prosecution.

Apapa, a former national faction leader of the party, made this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Lagos.

He spoke about issues that should receive attention in the ongoing constitutional amendment process.

According to him, removing the immunity clause from the Constitution will reduce corruption and promote development in states.

“I think the National Assembly should remove the immunity clause from the constitution in the ongoing constitutional amendment process.

“It encourages corruption. I think in a democracy we should be equal before the law.

“If you allow a Nigerian or anyone else to feel special and above the law for eight years and after the eighth year he or she moves to the National Assembly to pursue his political career, such a person will continue to escape punishment for his mistakes. actions.

“That aspect has to go, we don’t need it. It does not encourage accountability as governors can steal public resources without ultimately facing justice,” Apapa said.

According to him, wherever justice is delayed or the consequences of actions are prolonged, impunity will prevail.

“If they know there is no immunity, everyone will behave well while in office.

“Only in Nigeria do you see people who have stolen billions of naira walking around freely. It is the same country where people are lynched for theft for stealing phones worth not more than N10,000.

Apapa, however, said immunity should be maintained so that the President can focus on his work.

On the state police, Apapa said the prevailing insecurity in the country was sufficient reason for the adoption of the state police.

“I think we need it (state police) now. I’ve said this several times.

“About 20 years ago, as Chairman of the Labor Party in Oyo State, I led a team of some people to our House of Representatives where I said we needed a state police force.

“People express fear that state governors will abuse it, but the truth is that as of today, the federal police are also being abused by some people.

“All we need to do is include some clauses around the functioning of the state police to check abuses,” he said.

According to him, citizens now need general protection, not individual protection.

“The state police will cover every part of the state,” he said.

He said the idea of ​​a central police force cannot solve the many security challenges facing the country, and that the federal police do not have the capacity to effectively secure the country.

“We say we need it (state police) now, especially at this time when we are facing problems of banditry and kidnapping all over the country. he added.

The 10th National Assembly has begun the process of amending the 1999 Constitution.

The Senate had set up a 45-member constitutional review committee in February, headed by Senate Deputy Chairman Senator Jibrin Barau.

Senate President, Senator Godwill Akpabio, while inaugurating members of the committee in Abuja, said the revision of the Constitution had become imperative “to put certain matters right”

The House of Representatives also set up its Constitutional Review Committee on the amendment of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution, as amended.

Speaking at the commission’s inauguration, its chairman, Rep. Tajudeen Abbas, said the move marked another important moment in the democratic journey toward a more “perfect union.”

He said it was expected that the sixth amendment under the 10th National Assembly would be the most comprehensive

Areas listed in the amendment for possible consideration include the establishment of the state police, local government autonomy and electoral reform. (NAN)

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