Group Calls For Lawmakers To Revoke Immunity From President, Governors

The Alliance For The Defence of Niger Delta (ADND) has asked the National Assembly to revoke the statute offering immunity to the president, vice president, governor, and deputy governor, shielding them from legal consequences.

The statement, released by ADND’s leaders Johnson Mba-Ngei and Sobomabo Ikriko, was made in Abuja on Friday.

The NGO pointed out that the immunity clause serves as an obstacle to ensuring state governors are held accountable for misconduct and mismanagement of public resources.

The NGO said, “By eliminating this clause, governors will be subject to scrutiny and legal action, thereby promoting transparency, accountability, and good governance at the state level.”

The statement advocated for immediate constitutional amendments to empower traditional rulers and promote higher accountability among Nigerian state governors, spurred by the urgency to address security challenges and improve governance transparency, as emphasised in a recent article titled “Mohammed Ndarani Mohammed SAN Advocates Empowering Traditional Rulers: A Solution to Nigeria’s Security Challenges and Governance Accountability.”

ADND emphasized the necessity for targeted amendments to enable traditional rulers to engage actively in managing security within their domains, calling on all stakeholders, including lawmakers, government officials, civil society organizations, and the public, to advocate for these constitutional amendments.

According to NAN, the immunity clause outlined in Section 308 of the 1999 Constitution serves to protect the President, Vice President, Governor, or Deputy Governor from frivolous litigation, allowing them to concentrate on governance without undue distraction.