The Senate is seeking to amend a section of the constitution which gives immunity from criminal prosecution to vice-president and governors.
The bill wants vice-president and governors to lose their immunity if found guilty of misappropriation of funds and sponsoring thugs to perpetrate violence that cause injury or death. The president, however, is excluded from the bill.
Sponsored by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on the review of the 1999 constitution, Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo–Agege, the bill is titled, ‘An Act to alter the provisions of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, to qualify criminal liability for certain public officers under Section 308.’
The proposed amendment seeks to substitute subsection 2 of section 308 with a new subsection.
“If it is determined either by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Independent Corrupt Practices Commission, Nigeria police and Department of State Services through a collaborative investigation that the said person is indicted by a court of competent jurisdiction for:
“(i) Financial misappropriation of funds belonging to the federal, state or Local Government, or.
“(ii) Sponsoring of thugs to perpetrate violence that cause injury or death of political opponent, a member of his family, agent or personal representative,” a part of the bill reads.
This is coming weeks after a bill seeking immunity for presiding officials of the National and State Assemblies passed second reading in the House of Representatives. The sponsor of the bill, Odebunmi Olusegun of Ogo-Oluwa/Surulere federal constituency (APC, Oyo), said it was to avoid “frivolous suits while in office.”
The bill by the House of representatives was meant with criticism. Some say the move is retrogressive when the trend worldwide is to strip politicians of immunity from prosecution.
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