Senate to remove immunity for President, Vice President, others

The senate on Thursday, is moving to remove immunity in criminal matters for the President, Vice President and other public office holders.

Others to be stripped of the immunity include governors and their deputies in the impending alteration.

Power Shortage: NGC operating Escravos – Lagos pipeline in full capacity

This followed the second reading of a Bill titled: “A Bill for 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” sponsored by the Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege, the Nation reports.

The explanatory memorandum of the Bill stated that: “This act provides for qualification of the immunity clause to exclude immunity for Public Officers referred to in Section 308 from criminal liability where the offence involves misappropriation of funds belonging to the Federal, State or Local Government and also the use of thugs to foment violence.”

Section 308 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) reads: “(1) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Constitution, but subject to subsection (2) of this section –

“(a) no civil or criminal proceedings shall be instituted or continued against a person to whom this section applies during his period of office;

“(b) a person to whom this section applies shall not be arrested or imprisoned during that period either in pursuance of the process of any court or otherwise; and

“(c) no process of any court requiring or compelling the appearance of a person to whom this section applies, shall be applied for or issued.