Senator representing Ogun East, Gbenga Daniel, has said only the president and the vice-president should be allowed to have absolute immunity so that they can concentrate on good governance.
Daniel, a former governor of Ogun State spoke during an appearance on Political Paradigm, a Channels Television programme aired on Tuesday.
The two-term governor advocated a constitutional amendment that would restrict immunity from prosecution strictly to the offices of the President and Vice-President.
While the current provision in Section 308 of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution shields the president, vice-president, governors, and deputy governors from prosecution while in office, Daniel argued that this broad immunity has been misused, particularly at the state level.
Daniel reflected on the recent reversal by the House of Representatives on a bill aimed at withdrawing immunity from vice-presidents, governors, and their deputies.
He said, “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.
“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 stressed that in order to protect the sanctity and stability of the country’s top leadership, full immunity should apply only to the President and Vice-President.
The former governor stressed, “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.”
The senator, however, emphasised the need for a more refined approach to the immunity of governors and their deputies, suggesting that it should not be a blanket shield against all forms of accountability.
He added, “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’s remarks contribute to the ongoing national conversation about reforming constitutional provisions to strengthen transparency and accountability across all levels of government.
