Anglican Church Criticises Legal Protection for Politicians in Nigeria

Nigeria’s politicians were challenged yesterday by Anglican Archbishop Peter Akinola to control their “ostentatious” lifestyle. Rev Akinola called for the nation’s immunity clause which protects the politicians from being prosecuted to be abolished, according to a report from Reuters.
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The nation’s Anglican primate said that politicians were “scheming” ahead of the next general election in 2007 instead of working to alleviate the suffering of the poor.

The report quoted Akinola as saying: "The political class are not helping matters as scheming for the 2007 elections seems to override every other consideration.

“The suffering of the vast majority is as glaring as the ostentatious living of a privileged few.”

Most Nigerians face poverty, receiving only basic services such as running water or electricity in Nigeria, which exports billions of dollars’ worth of oil every year.

The country’s infrastructure has been in disorder due to decades of corruption, mismanagement and neglect by successive military rulers.

It has been six years since the country returned to civilian rule, but not much of Nigeria’s 140 million population have felt any improvement though there have been government talks of “dividends of democracy”. Politics is seen as a money-making venture by most people, rather than serving the public.

Akinola said the clause which gives government officials immunity from prosecution has done more harm than good.

"When leaders are clearly living beyond their means or where there is evidence of funds being transferred into foreign bank accounts, if the immunity clause should be called to their aid it makes the whole idea ridiculous," he said.

Reuters reports that Governor Joshua Dariye of Plateau State is currently under investigation by British police over alleged money-laundering and has been charged with embezzling public funds in a Nigerian court. But he has succeeded in claiming immunity from prosecution.

Just a day before Akinola’s statement, another governor from the oil-producing state of Bayelsa, was charged with money-laundering in a London court. £1 million have been found in cash at his house in London but he denies any offences.