Bill to remove Nigeria’s VP, govs’ immunity scales second reading

A bill to remove the immunity enjoyed by the vice-president and governors scaled second reading on Wednesday at the House of Representatives.

The bill was among 42 other constitutional amendment bills that passed second reading on the floor of the green chamber of the National Assembly on Wednesday.

It removed the immunity conferred on the vice president, governors, and their deputies to curb corruption, eradicate impunity, and enhance accountability in public office.

This followed 39 constitutional amendment bills that scaled second reading in the green chamber on Tuesday.

Some of the notable proposals that scaled second reading on Wednesday include:

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, governors, and their deputies, to curb corruption, eradicate impunity, and enhance accountability in public office.

A Bill for an Act to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to separate the offices of the Attorney-General of the Federation, Attorney-General of a state from the offices of the Minister of Justice of the Federal Government and Commissioner for Justice of the Government of a state.

A Bill for an Act to alter the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to grant citizenship rights to spouses of women from Nigeria, specify the minimum number of youths and women that may be appointed into specific offices.

Other bills include those to create Ijebu State, Ife-Ijesa State, Tiga State, Orlu State, and Etiti State.

The bills were not debated and brought the total so far passed through second reading to 81.