Ihenacho calls for removal of governors’ immunity clause

Former minister of Interior and currently the standard bearer of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in the forthcoming Imo State gubernatorial election, Emmanuel Ihenacho, has called for the removal of the ‘immunity against prosecution clause’ currently being enjoyed by elected state governors in the country.

Ihenacho stressed that the presence of the clause, which validly shields state governors against prosecution, including financial recklessness, has contributed immensely to high level financial corruption perpetrated by a number of the governors why in power. The APGA gubernatorial candidate, stated this last weekend in Owerri, Imo State, during the governorship debate organised by the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Imo State council; adding that, if he is elected the governor, he would ensure the rendering of monthly account to the people.

Ihenacho, who spoke eloquently at the debate, by clearly dissecting the Imo economy in the last 16 years, saying the Eastern Heart- land State does not really have any clearly defined economy (service or manufacturing) to drive its economic growth and create jobs; but rather has a “bowl-begging economy” that depends wholly on handouts from the federation account.

The chairman of Integrated Oil, Genesis Shipping and other companies spoke of building a private sector-driven economy in Imo, through a public-private- participation (PPP) arrangement, where the state government creates an enabling environment that would attract private individuals into the state; to set up manufacturing companies that would in turn create jobs.

The APGA gubernatorial candidate spoke alongside gubernatorial candidates of six other political parties, including the incumbent Governor Rochas Okorocha and candidate of the All Progressives
Congress (APC). Okorocha is seeking a re-election. Other candidates who participated in the debate were Marcel Nwaneri of KOWA Party; Lawrence Kanu of Progressives People’s Alliance (PPA); Social Democratic Party’s (SDP) David Mbamara; Victor Chikwendu of the CPP and Angus Uzuamaka of the ACPN. All the candidates gave insight into the programmes they have for the state, if elected as governor on April 11, 2015. Interestingly, all of them ex- pressed their willingness to sup- port any of the candidates, who eventually emerges as governor, in order to move the state forward.