Immunity For Presiding Officers Breach Of Public Trust —SERAP
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project has said that the bill seeking to give immunity to presiding officers of the legislative arm of government at both federal and state levels was a breach of public trust.
The organisation, speaking through its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, said the bill was tantamount to ripping up the Nigerian constitution.
He said, “Providing immunity for presiding officers against crimes of corruption is tantamount to ripping up the constitution. It’s a blatant assault on the rule of law and breach of public trust.
“The leadership of the House of Representatives must immediately withdraw this obnoxious bill. We will vigorously challenge this impunity.
“Countries like Guatemala voted unanimously to strip their president of immunity from prosecution for corruption, our own lawmakers are moving in the opposite direction.”
The group warned that if lawmakers had their way by passing the bill into law, they will succeed in denying Nigerians the right to make leaders accountable to the people.
The bill, which was sponsored by Odebunmi Olusegun, was supported by majority of the lawmakers, who say it was important to safeguard the sanctity of the National Assembly.
