In a significant legislative move, the House of Representatives yesterday passed, through a second reading, a bill aimed at retaining immunity for the President while stripping the same privilege from the Vice President, Governors, and their deputies.
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The bill, one of 42 considered during the plenary session presided over by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, was sponsored by Solomon Bob, a lawmaker from Rivers State.
The proposed legislation seeks to amend Section 308 of the 1999 Constitution, with the aim of curbing corruption, eradicating impunity, and enhancing accountability in governance.
If passed into law, the bill would qualify the immunity currently enjoyed by high-ranking officials and ensure that only the President—and the Vice President when acting as President under Section 145 of the Constitution—retains legal protection while in office.
Key amendments to Section 308 include a provision that immunity will apply solely to the President and the Vice President only when serving as acting President. Additionally, a new subsection (4) will be introduced to remove immunity from officeholders engaged in unofficial activities, actions beyond the scope of their office, or conduct deemed criminal.
According to the bill’s proponents, this amendment will strengthen the fight against corruption by ensuring that public officials are held accountable for their actions both in and out of office.
“The bill seeks to foster transparency and strengthen governance by making public officials more accountable,” the bill’s sponsor, Solomon Bob, stated.
The long title of the bill reads: “A Bill for an Act to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, to qualify the immunity conferred on the President, remove the immunity conferred on the Vice President, the Governors and their deputies, in order to curb corruption, eradicate impunity and enhance accountability in public office and for related matters.”
If passed, the bill will be cited as the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Alteration) Act 2024. With the bill now progressing to further debate and consideration by the National Assembly, political analysts suggest that its passage could mark a turning point in Nigeria’s efforts to ensure greater accountability in governance.