PETITION FOR IMMUNITY CLAUSE REMOVAL – SECTION 308: Restrictions On Legal ProceedingsCHAMPIONS FOR NIGERIA (CFN), a not-for-profit, social, voluntary organization of Nigerians and friends of Nigeria – committed to encourage, promote and demand visible, transparent, responsible, sincere and honest leadership at all levels of governance in Nigeria – hereby, on behalf of the Nigerian people, and specifically the undersigned, present this petition to Your Excellency, for forwarding to the National Assembly for necessary action and implementation into law.The petition is for the immediate removal/withdrawal of the immunity from public prosecution, granted the Executive arm of the Nigerian political class;• The system of scrutiny whereby any executive is charged with impropriety while in office must be seen to be water-tight to prevent any misuse and abuse. It must be established by law through legislation, to protect diligent, honest, and scrupulous executives from the possible witch-hunt of corrupt lieutenants and others who may feel offended by the actions of such honest executive;• Recent events and court rulings in Nigeria have shown the immunity clause as an instrument through which some elected executives have amassed personal wealth and abused their positions of trust;• The removal of the immunity clause would also discourage people whose motivating factor for enlisting in party politics is for personal financial gain at the expense of the electorates;• The immunity clause, when removed would reduce the “empire building” through “god-fatherism”, negative incumbency factors and other associated vices evident in Nigerian politics;• Finally, the reality of the possible removal from office of an erring executive would sound a note of warning to would-be executives while reducing the chances of looting of the nation’s treasury.Signed and Forwarded for and on Behalf of the Nigerian People by CHAMPIONS FOR NIGERIAPlease Sign Petitionor Copy and Paste the link below onto your Browser:http://www.championsfornigeria.org/index.php?option=com_beamospetition&pet=2&Itemid=57Please read on:Thankfully, we have the United States of America to draw from. The 50 states have operated without the immunity clause for governors for over 150 years, and the country is governed very well. We do not see why Nigeria should not expunge it, especially in light of overwhelming abuse of public office by governors.The US has no immunity clause, since 1787 when Delaware was created as the first state.From our review of articles and research from such sources as the Harvard Law Review, the immunity clause was supposed to act as a check on the US Judiciary, to ensure State Governors are not harassed by the JudiciaryIn the US, 2 Vice Presidents and 5 Governors have been removed in the last 220 years while in office for corruption. Within hours a Deputy Governor was sworn in, and therefore created no break in governance.While the Governor only operates in one small state, and his removal cannot affect a nation, in the US constitution, even though there is no immunity for the President, in practice he has some kind of immunity while in office, as his position is sensitive.In Nigeria, within the last 6 months alone, several Governors have been removed while in office over electoral irregularities and it has not caused any major problems as alternatives were sworn in almost immediately. What has not been tested is removal of a sitting President while in office. We would assume a sitting Vice President might as well be sworn in, under that circumstance.In our opinion, given the widespread abuse of executive power, Governors now have excessive power and distort our system of checks and balances.Judges can be removed by their superiors when they err. Legislators have been removed, but only governors and their deputies seem to be untouchable. They are able to buy the state legislators, national legislators, militias, thugs, etc.The Champions For Nigeria (CFN) would advocate for expunging the immunity clause, for criminal (Murder) and corruption cases only. Executives could have limited immunity for civil cases, so that nobody can sue the President or Governor, because of decisions they took while carrying out their duties.Not acting in itself in the face of eviscerating abuse would be negligent on the part of the National Assembly.Worse case scenario, action is needed, and if it is catastrophic, the assembly can reconvene and ratify it. The US constitution is not set in stone; it has been amended several times.Please sign our petition by copying and pasting the following link on your web browser:http://www.championsfornigeria.org/index.php?option=com_beamospetition&pet=2&Itemid=57And, please forward it on to your contacts. Organisations may also sign as themselves.Thank you,Signed and Forwarded for and on Behalf of the Nigerian People by CHAMPIONS FOR NIGERIA
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