By our reporter| The house of representatives special ad hoc committee on the review of the 1999 constitution on Wednesday recommended immunity for presiding officers of the national assembly and judicial officers.
The committee had in January rejected the bill after Abdulhamid Mohammed, a consultant to the committee (SAN), said the proposed legislation is against international best practices.
Wednesday’s recommendation was contained in a report laid before the house by Idris Wase, chairman of the committee and deputy speaker of the house.
The bill titled ‘An Act to alter section 308 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 to extend immunity to cover presiding officers of the legislative institutions’ is sponsored by Segun Odebunmi, a lawmaker from Oyo state.
Section 308 of the constitution states that no civil or criminal proceedings can be instituted against the president, vice-president, governor, or deputy governor and they can’t be arrested or imprisoned, nor can a process of any court requiring or compelling their appearance be issued against them.
But with the bill, the proposal is for the immunity to be extended to cover presiding officers of the judiciary and national assembly, which include senate president, deputy senate president, speaker of the house of representatives, and deputy speaker of the house.
The lawmakers will next week, vote on the clause of the proposed law, as well as 67 other bills.
Leave a Reply