Former Nigeria‘s military Head of State and Presidential candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), has promised to facilitate the deletion of the controversial immunity clause from the nation‘s constitution if he gets the nod of Nigerian voters in the April elections.



”We will amend the constitution to remove immunity from prosecution for elected officers in criminal cases,” Buhari states in his manifesto which was released in Abuja on Monday.



Section 308 of the nation‘s 1999 constitution shields the President, his deputy, the governors and their deputies from criminal and civil prosecution during their term in office.



Sub-section 1 of section 308 says, ”(a) No civil or criminal proceedings shall be instituted or continued against a person to whom this section applies during his period of office.



”(b) A person to whom this section applies shall not be arrested or imprisoned during that period either on pursuance of the process of any court or otherwise; and



”(c) No process of any court requiring or compelling the appearance of a person to whom this section applies shall be applied for or issued.



Sub-section 3 states, ”This section applies to a person holing the office of President or Vice President, Governor or Deputy Governor; and the reference in this section to ‘period of office‘ is a reference to the period during which the person holding such office is required to perform the functions of the office.”



In a country with a multitude of corruption allegations against public officials, there had been hot debate over the propriety of shielding the beneficiaries of the section from being made to go through judicial test, even while in office, if the need arises.



The nation‘s anti-graft agency, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, for instance, on several occasions had complained that they were helpless in dealing with the alleged corruption by serving governors.



Buhari promises further to initiate action geared toward amending the constitution with a view to encourage true federalism.



”We will initiate action to amend our constitution to amend with a view to devolving powers, duties and responsibilities to states and local governments in order to entrench federalism and the federal spirit,” he states in the manifesto.



Buhari came to power on December 31, 1983 when the second republic government of Alhaji Shehu Shagari was overthrown in a military coup announced by Gen. Ibrahim Babangida (retd.).



Buhari,, interestingly, was also sacked in another coup spearheaded by Babangida on August 17, 1985.






http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201103014224070

The safety and security of all Nigerian cannot be guaranteed by any other presidential candidates except General Buhari. Look at the man’s record and compare to the NPN/PDP that has been running the country under the stolen presidency. April 2011 is PDP date with destiny because Nigerians will not tolerate another one day of PDP running Nigeria. We (Nigerians) north, south, east, and west wants a stable, secure and progressive country where young graduates from our universities at home and abroa

well done wale, but i am disappointed in Punch for reporting it this way. the manifesto says we, and they reported 'I'.

Last week too, punch had a story on Buhari where they mentioned dictator 5 times! the newspaper is heavily biased, just like the nations newspapers!

but the people will know this time, the propaganda against buhari will not work as we know the truth

The seat of the President is almost toothless without the backing of the majority in the National Assembly. There is no point making promises he has no absolute powers to deliver.

Well, Obama promised health care reform and he implemented it through the congress!

he said we will seek, he did not say we will. the intention is what matters here and it will be done if he can carry the people along to put pressure on the house.

This is someone that is serious in tackling corruption in Naija.

Massive gaffe
This is the reason we dont need this political illiterate anywhere near the precincts of a governors lodge,not to talk of,,,,,
He's still incurably dictatorial and deluded.How does he figure to do that in federal houses that are bound to be controlled by the opposition even if we decided to toy with the remote possibility of him winning the presidential polls and becoming president from April?

Dunce

RASPUTTIN the grand father of dundee united, welcome. did you even read the story at all?

MUMU!

Genbuhari3:

Well, Obama promised health care reform and he implemented it through the congress!

Stop insulting Obama by mentioning his name on a Buhari thread

BTW,did you not observe that even the majority membership enjoyed by the democrats in the lower house,Obama found it REALLY difficult to have that bill passed

Genbuhari3:

RASPUTTIN the grand father of dundee united

Wetin rasputinn do you
Am I the father of Buhari??(as I recall he is the only Dundee united gunning for the seat of president)

Genbuhari3:

Well, Obama promised health care reform and he implemented it through the congress!

he said we will seek, he did not say we will. the intention is what matters here and it will be done if he can carry the people along to put pressure on the house.

No doubts, the intentions are right, it's however obvious that such motives would hardly see the light of day.

the house does not bend to pressure, it doesn't give a whoot whoot what the President and the people think, this is not the United States!

Asides that, i fail to see the immediate impact of removal of immunity clause, when the Judiciary is wholly owned by PDP.

I would expect that a forward looking President is aiming at conducting a massive Judicial reform, sadly no one is even thinking about it, until then, we'd keep going about in circles.

this is not United States, agreed. we want to make it better than the united states! if the pressure we put on the cabal and the national assembly to make goodluck acting president becomes a constant in our national life, then any issue that touch the life of the people will scale through.

the question for you, is the removal of immunity right or wrong? leave the messenger, deal with the message!

Rasputinn dundee,

the response above is not for you! you dont deserve one, pls

^^^^ Just like u said, the intentions are right and should be encouraged. its needful in this nation of ours. Albeit, what makes us feel that the next house wont comprise likeminded peeps and not PDP cohorts? I am hopefull that PDP landslide majority in both houses will fall in this next dispensation. The same goes to the states, PDP will lose some states no doubt and i hope new ones wont come to them. Buhari cant achieve it alone and that he knows but he can spearhead it.

Genbuhari3:

this is not United States, agreed. we want to make it better than the united states! if the pressure we put on the cabal and the national assembly to make goodluck acting president becomes a constant in our national life, then any issue that touch the life of the people will scale through.

the question for you, is the removal of immunity right or wrong? leave the messenger, deal with the message!

Rasputinn dundee,

the response above is not for you! you dont deserve one, pls

I totally agree with this too, Nigerians (i believe most want the immunity clause expunged) can also exert pressure on both houses. Its very posible and has happened before. Remember the Turai cabal and of recent the FOI bill passed by the house (i dont think the house would willingly want to pass the bill if not from pressures exerted on them)

Genbuhari3:

this is not United States, agreed. we want to make it better than the united states! if the pressure we put on the cabal and the national assembly to make goodluck acting president becomes a constant in our national life, then any issue that touch the life of the people will scale through.

the question for you, is the removal of immunity right or wrong? leave the messenger, deal with the message!

Rasputinn dundee,

the response above is not for you! you dont deserve one, pls

The removal of immunity clause is NOT wrong, what is wrong is it's existence, no one should ever be given the feeling of being above the long arms of the law at any point in a single day.

That said, however, like i pointed out earlier, the nation stands to benefit more if we pursue an agenda that looks at Judicial reforms, possibly establishing a Jury trial system.

Demdem:

I totally agree with this too, Nigerians (i believe most want the immunity clause expunged) can also exert pressure on both houses. Its very posible and has happened before. Remember the Turai cabal and of recent the FOI bill passed by the house (i dont think the house would willingly want to pass the bill if not from pressures exerted on them)

Let's be realistic here, the house hardly succumb to external pressures, especially when coming from the people they claim to represent, this is sad, but true. The passage of the FOI bill as i see it, was not passed because Nigerians wanted it. It seems as though it's passage was a last strain of effort by the house to save face in the public as most of them are not likely to get tickets for re-election, so it makes a good story to say "at least we did something".

We all screamed about the Jumbo bonuses they receive, they simply just laugh hard at our foolishness and then return to looting the treasury. Even if the President makes as much sound as a whim, all it takes is two thirds of a majority vote to have him thrown out of Aso Rock into unemployment pool!.

Genbuhari3:

this is not United States, agreed. we want to make it better than the united states! if the pressure we put on the cabal and the national assembly to make goodluck acting president becomes a constant in our national life, then any issue that touch the life of the people will scale through.

the question for you, is the removal of immunity right or wrong? leave the messenger, deal with the message!

Rasputinn dundee,

the response above is not for you! you dont deserve one, pls

Now I see you're either an ignoramus or a half baked literate at best
What do you mean by leave the messenger and deal with the messagewhat do you know about the immunity clause.It's purely suicidal to canvass for a blanket removal of the immunity clause as governors and all other public officials will no longer have time for their job but will rather be in and out of the courts day in,day out.
What we should call for is an amendment of the immunity clause to only cover protection from civil suit,while protection from criminal suits that pertain to murder,embezzlement of funds etc should be discarded

BTW;Begging the question has never been the solution to any problem,so be objective and admit that your lord goofed

Rasputtin, now i know you are totally a lost soul! and i leave the illiteracy question for the house to determine.

your problem is you dwell on hearsays, rumours, never bothered to read more than you hear. Just to help resolve your laziness, please see from the report, the bold is enough to cure your problem

”We will amend the constitution to remove immunity from prosecution for elected officers in criminal cases,” Buhari states in his manifesto which was released in Abuja on Monday.

Another dumb idea from an expired dictator.

Can you imagine Mubarak wanting to come back?

How can supposedly intelligent people tell me that as long as Adolf Hilter or Ghengis Khan will "deal" with corruption , it is ok to vote for them.

It is a good thing that Buhari will never again get the chance to enslave the Nigerian people.

rasputinn:

Massive gaffe
This is the reason we dont need this political illiterate anywhere near the precincts of a governors lodge,not to talk of,,,,,
He's still incurably dictatorial and deluded.How does he figure to do that in federal houses that are bound to be controlled by the opposition even if we decided to toy with the remote possibility of him winning the presidential polls and becoming president from April?

Dunce

I've already told you before that you are an unscrupulous man!

Yes, the opposition (your party) controls the house and senate.

So what is YOUR PARTY doing about removing this hideous clause from our statute books?

Buhari may not be able to pass the law due to PDP thieves in the House and Senate, but at least we know his intentions.

Has Goodthief ever expressed any political will toward something like this?

The problem with Nigeria is not policies but the lack of political will to implement policies that will lead to meaningful developmental change. Buhari has the political will , he has told u so and we the people have the people power to be able to lead Nigerians to Abuja to demand the lawmakers pass a bill we love.

If people power can remove dictators and make dicatators beg for dialogue , I am sure we can move mountains in Nigeria but we just have to believe. In Obama´s words "Change we can believe".

SAI BUHARI!!!

Ibime:

I've already told you before that you are an unscrupulous man!

Sharrraaap Ibime,how does being a legit man running legit businesses make one unscrupulous,aren't you supposed to be referring to yourself.All those sinister activities of yours from Nembe waterside to Finima and Ogbakiri are actually what you should be talking about

Truth be told,I ain't unscupulous,but I don't suffer fools gladly;fools like Mohhmadu Buhari and GenBuhari

Yeye fowl 

Better make me happy ,redeem your image tonight

Ibime:

Yes, the opposition (your party) controls the house and senate.

So what is YOUR PARTY doing about removing this hideous clause from our statute books?

Are you high on bunkered oil fumes you say my party is in the opposition,then proceed to ask what my party is doing to expunge the clause from the statute books.

Reality check dude,you're speaking in an assumptive mode hence cannot ask what my party is doing as this does not reflect the status quo

@ Ibime

OMG,I don't why,but your post really cracked me up so much that I'm still laughing

As someone has mentioned, the notion is not at all bad. The  removal of the immunity clause will serve as a caution note to the “would be executives” to be excessively careful and reconsider their objectives.  It is wrong to say that no one is above the law and yet some people enjoy immunity against prosecution. By allowing the Constitution to confer immunity on some people gives them some perceived right to be above the law.

It has caused untold sufferings to Nigerians – look at what misappropriation of public funds by these Executives have done to our healthcare system, educational system, road and other transportation, power generation and distribution, food and water availability, in fact, every facet of possible human and material development of a nation that want to call itself a progressive nation.

But it will be difficult  to get the bill pass at the national assembly level.

Remove yourself first. We are tired of your old and corny ways of running this nation.

Then we should prosecute Buhari for murder and treason

If he would be allowed to do it, then Nigerian may be a better country. But am sure those corrupt officials will never pass it.

He cannot do it! It is not the job of a of the office he is aspiring to! It is the job of the legislative arm!! How is he going to do this?? Is he going to promulgate a decree??

Buhari needs to learn that we are in a democracy where the Executive has its functions which is separated from the legislature and the judiciary!!

If by any chance this guy wins, he will end up the worst president we ever hard, not because he wasn't willing to work, but because he failed to take off his toga of  militancy mind and understand the workings of a democracy!! His administration would be filled with constant fighting between legislature and executive with the populace bearing the brunt!

The PDP will win a majority in the house, so please how Mr Buhari do you intend to do this in the very unlikely event that you win?

rasputinn:

Are you high on bunkered oil fumes you say my party is in the opposition,then proceed to ask what my party is doing to expunge the clause from the statute books.

Reality check dude,you're speaking in an assumptive mode hence cannot ask what my party is doing as this does not reflect the status quo

Speak English Pablo. Me no comprende.

According to you, Buhari is an eediot  for aspiring to a positive change (which according to you is unfeasible due to PDP control of senate).

So if I was a single issue voter (this issue), what would you have me do?

Vote PDP?

Its like saying vote the bad guys cos the good guys cant win.

You sound like Ghaddafi and Mubarak telling us that change is impossible, when YOU are the one preventing the change.

This is why I say that you lack scruples!

rasputinn:

Now I see you're either an ignoramus or a half baked literate at best
What do you mean by leave the messenger and deal with the messagewhat do you know about the immunity clause.It's purely suicidal to canvass for a blanket removal of the immunity clause as governors and all other public officials will no longer have time for their job but will rather be in and out of the courts day in,day out.
What we should call for is an amendment of the immunity clause to only cover protection from civil suit,while protection from criminal suits that pertain to murder,embezzlement of funds etc should be discarded

BTW;Begging the question has never been the solution to any problem,so be objective and admit that your lord goofed

Genbuhari3,There is no point in joining issues with people who are intellectually disabled.Can we please focus on the important job at hand which is making sure that come April Change will come to Nigeria.Vote BB2011

BB all the wayyyy