Femi Falana says a sitting president or governor who commits any crime
can be arrested and tried, saying according to the Supreme Court ruling,
there was no longer absolute immunity. The Senior Advocate of Nigeria
said immunity does not extend to electoral fraud and asked Senate
President, Bukola Saraki and his Deputy, Ike Ekweremadu to face the
forgery charges against them rather than politicking about it, saying
“they have no immunity to dodge the charges against them.’’
He said this while speaking on:
“Limit of executive immunity” in Benin to mark the 60th birthday of the
Secretary to the State Government (SSG) of Edo, Prof. Julius
Ihonvbere
“The senate is now politicising the issue, saying it is political
victimization but not that the offence was not committed. As leaders of
the National Assembly, you are supposed to be above board and that is
even the more reason you must be careful.
“But I want to remind the senate that
the Attorney General of the Federation is only answerable to his boss,
who is the president and nobody else.
“The same thing applies to the states, so there is no longer absolute immunity in this country.
“And that is why what is happening in
Ekiti today about money found in a bank and the governor is saying it is
illegal to freeze his account that is not true.
“Any issue that is criminal in nature must be treated as such,” he declared.
(NAN)