The House of Representatives has passed for second reading a bill seeking to strip the Vice President, Governors, and their deputies of immunity against prosecution.
The bill, sponsored by Rep. Solomon Bob, passed through second reading alongside 41 other bills at the Plenary on Wednesday.
According to Bob, the bill aims to “promote accountability in public office” by removing the immunity currently granted to the Vice President, Governors, and their deputies.
The proposed legislation is titled “A Bill for an Act to Alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to Qualify the Immunity Conferred on the President, Remove the Immunity Conferred on the Vice President, the Governors and their Deputies, in Order to Curb Corruption, Eradicate Impunity and Enhance Accountability in Public Office and for Related Matters (HB.1664)”.
Section 308 of the constitution currently grants absolute immunity to the President, Vice President, Governors, and Deputy Governors while in office.
However, if passed into law, the amendment would qualify the immunity of the President, allowing for prosecution under certain conditions, while completely removing immunity for the Vice President, Governors, and their deputies.
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