The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Thursday dared Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to make good his threats to set aside his constitutional immunity by immediately resigning his office to face the corruption allegations, in which he was named in court.
In a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan, the party said that since Vice President Osinbajo had announced his readiness to renounce his constitutional immunity in the face of corruption allegations, he should do the needful by resigning and vacating the office as there was no provision for waiver of immunity in the constitution.
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According to the statement, “the PDP holds that immunity under section 308 of the 1999 constitution (as amended) is conferred on an official by virtue of his/her election into an office within the duration and cannot be waived by any means other than resignation
“It is instructive to state that Section 308 confers immunity to the holder of the office “during his period in office”, there is no provision for the waiver while the holder is still in office
“Vice President Osinbajo should know that it is settled that section 308 can only be set aside by vacating the office. It is not a jacket to be put on or dropped at will
“Significantly, our party invites the Vice President to note that his pronouncement has set off a process, which is expected to terminate in his resignation”.
The Party put the National Assembly on notice to consider the pronouncement by the Vice President as an official communication to the legislature indicating his intention to vacate office.
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