Former Ogun State Governor who is now representing Ogun East in the National Assembly, Senator Gbenga Daniel, has proposed a constitutional review to limit prosecutorial immunity strictly to the President and Vice-President.
Currently, Section 308 of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria grants immunity from prosecution to the President, Vice-President, state Governors, and their Deputies.
However, Daniel believes this provision has been exploited, especially at the subnational level.
During a recent appearance on Political Paradigm, a Channels Television programme aired on Tuesday, the lawmaker commented on the House of Representatives’ decision to reverse a bill that sought to strip immunity from vice-presidents, governors, and deputy governors.
“Immunity has the good sides, but to a large extent, I think, some of our elected governors appear to have abused it, in terms of some of the things they do,” Daniel said.
“Some of them virtually have turned the state into their personal fiefdom, and they think the property of the state belongs to them, and they can do it whichever way they want, without even recourse to the House of Assembly.”
He argued that absolute immunity should be reserved solely for the country’s topmost leaders, to maintain stability and prevent undue embarrassment to the nation’s leadership.
“I think that only the president and the vice-president should be allowed to have absolute immunity so that they can concentrate, and so that no one will be embarrassing the symbol of the country,” he added.
Daniel further advocated a more nuanced approach when it comes to governors and their deputies, asserting that while limited immunity may be appropriate, it must not shield them entirely from scrutiny or responsibility.
“The governors and their deputies should have their immunity clarified. Probably, yes, they have immunity from what you call criminal prosecution, but there are other things that are not criminal.
“There is no reason why they should not be held accountable while in office,” Daniel concluded.
His statements feed into the broader national discourse on amending constitutional protections in a bid to enhance governance, transparency, and accountability at all levels.
