Obasanjo also Supported Removal of Immunity Clause
News report that President Umar Yar’Adua supports the removal of the Immunity Clause for certain categories of officials including the President and the Vice President has been given wide exposure by the Nigerian Media.
The impression created by the celebration of this position of President Yar’Adua is that he is above board on the issue of corruption, hence his support for the removal of the clause which many people see as protecting governors and such public officials in their corrupt activities.
It is necessary to sound a cautionary note on the Nigerian Media before they lead the country down the road of politicians’ deceit so soon after Obasanjo.
Obasanjo also supported the removal of the Immunity Clause and this was equally celebrated in the media.
When Obasanjo said he supported the removal of the clause during the ill-fated constitutional amendment in 2006, the media celebrated his position which they interpreted to mean that the man (Obasanjo) was immuned from the corruption he accused the governors of.
Revelations since Obasanjo vacated offices have shown that the man was not above board and that he is the most corrupt leader Nigerian ever produced. In the case of most of the governors, the issue was corruption. In Obasanjo’s case, it is corruption and moral bankruptcy. If there was no Immunity Clause protecting him,Obasanjo as sitting President would have stood trial for corruption and incest and sexual abuse.
But who could have tried him? All security agencies like the Police, EFCC, ICPC, etc… who could have tried him were all under his control as Commander-in-Chief. In essence, that office personifies immunity, given the social character of the Nigerian Political elite and bureaucrats who will rather pander to the man who holds the lever of power rather than indict him for any offence.
It is therefore nothing to be celebrated that Yar’Adua supports removal of the Immunity Clause. It does not mean he is not prone to the weaknesses for which the clause protects the President, Vice President, Governors and Deputy Governors. We have seen enough in the last seven months that he is not the Messiah Nigerians need. He protects the corrupt politicians including Obasanjo that ought to be jumping from one court to other defending charges of corruption, incest and sexual abuse.
Let the Nigerian Media be cautious about celebrating these politicians for what they say.
Let’s dwell more on what they do. At least, it is said that action speaks louder than voice.
By: Nuhu Isyaka
Isyaka Writes from the Department of Political Science, Ahmadu Bello Univeresity, Samaru Campus, Zaria