The Senate has introduced a bill that seeks to take away the immunity of the vice- president, governors and their deputies if they misappropriate public funds.
Presently, the President of Nigeria, vice-president, governors and their deputies are protected by the nation’s laws from criminal prosecution while in office.
However, the proposed legislation from the Senate seeks to change this, with the exclusion of the President.
The bill 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,’ seeks to amend the necessary sections of the constitution to make it possible for law enforcement agencies to arrest and prosecute the vice- president, governors or their deputies found guilty of funds’ misappropriation.
It is sponsored by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on the review of the 1999 Constitution, who is also the Deputy President of the Senate, Ovie Omo-Agege.
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According to The PUNCH, the proposed amendment seeks to alter Section 308 of the Principal Act by substituting subsection 2 with a new subsection.
It added that any beneficiary of the immunity clause currently in the constitution would lose it if indicted by the court after a thorough investigation by the police and the anti-graft agencies.
The bill proposes that persons who hold the office of Vice-President, Governor or Deputy Governor would lose their immunity:
“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 that they are involved in:
“(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.”
