Another idea under Tinubu as Bill to strip Vice President, Governors but spare President of immunity scales second reading in NASS
Others include bill to create Ijebu State, more
By KEMI KASUMU
In what looks like vindication of media organisations including ThisDay Newspaper which recently named and defended choice of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as their Man of the Year 2024 saying he is a president that has taken bold decisions to do what no one before him did, a Bill to strip Vice President, Governors and Deputy Governors while allowing only president to enjoy immunity beginning from under his administration has scaled through second reading in the Nigeria’s National Assembly.
This is as 42 constitutional amendment bills on Wednesday March 26, 2025 scaled second reading in the House of Representatives, among them the bill to remove immunity conferred on the vice president, governors and their deputies to curb corruption, eradicate impunity, and enhance accountability in public office.
Although vice president does not control powers in the country like the president does, sponsors of the bill, believed to be one of many “wonders” recorded under the Tinubu administration, spared the president, who should be stripped of immunity to be truly held accountable.
It will be recalled an earlier wonder recorded, where notable figures in the Nigerian Senate and House of Representatives said the Rivers State controversial emergency rule sent for legislative approval by Tinubu was approved despite that none of the two chambers of the National Assembly got the constitutionally required two-third majority to do so.
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.
