NIGERIA: House of Representatives drops bill stripping VP, governors of immunity after approval
*More such bills will be dropped - Critics *Bill rewriting books of indigeneship an attempt to set Nigerians against themselves, must stop - Concerned Citizen
By KEMI KASUMU
This is as a concerned citizen, simply named Osifo, said, “Even the bill seeking to rewrite the books of indigeneship to give ownership of a state to residents as against the natives in the country must be stopped” as, according to him, it is capable of setting the good people of Nigeria in tribal wars against one another.”
The Nigeria’s House of Representatives on Thursday March 27, 2025 reversed its decision on the second reading of a bill, which sought to strip the vice president, governors and deputy governors of immunity.
The lower legislative chamber made the U-turn after the Majority Leader of the House, Julius Ihonvbere, moved a motion.
The bill, which is sponsored by Solomon Bob, a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lawmaker from Rivers State where PDP members loyalists to Nyesom Wike wear the toga of All Progressives Congress (APC), passed second reading on Wednesday March 26.
Bob noted that the bill seeks to “promote accountability in public office” by removing the immunity currently granted to the vice president, governors and their deputies.
Section 308 of the Constitution states that “the president, vice-president, governor, and deputy governor, during the period he/she is holding the office, shall not be subjected to civil or criminal proceedings.
“The occupants of the office shall not also be arrested or imprisoned and no process of any court requiring or compelling their appearance.”
Bob said the move is to curb corruption, curb immunity, eradicate impunity and enhance accountability in public office but he left out the main public officer deserving such a legislative check against misuse of power, the president of the country.
The Green Chamber also rescinded its decision on the bill to abolish the death penalty.
The bill also passed second reading during plenary on Wednesday.
In the meantime, critics, who find the bill absurd and not deserving to live among the community of laws in the country, said more of such funny bills passed along 42 others on Wednesday must die.
This is as a concerned citizen, simply named Osifo, said, “Even the bill seeking to rewrite the books of indigeneship to give ownership of a state to residents as against the natives in the country must be stopped” as, according to him, it is capable of setting the good people of Nigeria in tribal wars against one another.
“If this bill is done on behalf of anyone or the party in power, they or such individual must be told that history will not forget whoever used his privilege of handling power to dismantle our united Nigeria,” he said.
