Fayose’s overrated immunity

Sir: If Nigeria must survive as a sovereign entity governed by internationally acceptable best practices, Nigerians from all walks of life must agree to certain irreducible minimum on the issue of governance.

There comes a time in a trajectory of a nation when its citizens must discountenance cleavages of primordial propensities, political dichotomy and sectional irredentism and seek a patriotic middle ground. With the incestuous amount allegedly traced to the account of Ekiti State governor, one is nonplussed that some Nigerians could still bellyache on the clause of immunity to frustrate the investigation efforts of the anti-graft agency.

In other climes, this type of heinous discovery is enough to provoke legislative activism on constitutional amendment or civil disobedience seeking the removal of any impediment to the investigation of government officials, particularly the right of police or any investigating agency to freeze their accounts without violating prosecutorial immunity. If governors are constitutionally protected from prosecution, are they also insulated from investigation? Does the constitution interminably absolve them of any wrongdoing irrespective of the right of the injured party, which are citizens over which they exercise a term of office? Wouldn’t the rights of injured citizens be violated when investigation is delayed till the end of the term of the suspect governor? And wouldn’t it be logical to infer that any account under investigation be subject to some sort of restrictions?

The civil society, the organised labour, students’ union and all lovers of propriety should rise in support of the Federal Government in the last ditch attempt to wean Nigeria from the cliffhanger of governors and other assailants using immunity to obstruct the development of Nigeria.

For political rabble-rousers, I think the government has chosen to use Fayose as an archetype in sending a message to all the governors – incidentally who are more of APC in majority – that immunity against prosecution is not the same as immunity against investigation, whilst this remains another veritable money-spinning prospect for permissive lawyers across the spectrum. It ought to represent a sad commentary in the annals of our nationhood and should generate sober reflection from counsels who can see beyond immediate gratification to contemplate a country envisioned for the next generation.

President Buhari has chosen a path, which may not be politically correct as he has demonstrated patriotism on a bipartisan cadence not minding how governors in his party would be affected.

• Bukola Ajisola,
Lagos.