Reps: Bill to end Vice President, Govs’ immunity passes second reading

A bill seeking to end the immunity granted to the vice president, governors, and their deputies has passed second reading in the House of Representatives.

The proposed amendment aims to curb corruption, eliminate impunity, and enhance accountability in public office.

The bill was among 42 constitutional amendment bills that scaled the second reading on Wednesday, following the passage of 39 similar bills in the Green Chamber on Tuesday.

One of the key proposals seeks to amend the 1999 Constitution to redefine the scope of immunity by limiting it for the president and completely removing it for the vice president, governors, and their deputies.

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Lawmakers argue that this change will ensure public officials can be held accountable for misconduct while in office.

Another bill proposes the separation of the offices of the Attorney-General of the Federation and the Attorney-General of a state from the offices of the Minister of Justice and the Commissioner for Justice, respectively.

Proponents of the amendment believe this will strengthen the independence of the judiciary and reduce political influence over legal proceedings.

Additionally, there is a bill to grant citizenship rights to foreign spouses of Nigerian women, addressing concerns over gender equality in nationality laws.

The proposal also seeks to set a minimum quota for youth and women’s representation in public office appointments to promote inclusivity in governance.

Beyond these governance-focused reforms, lawmakers are also considering state creation. Proposals for the establishment of Ijebu, Ife-Ijesa, Tiga, Orlu, and Etiti states were among the constitutional amendments that scaled the second reading.

NIGERIAN TRIBUNE