NASS immunity, life pension proposal despicable, Falana, others fume

The National Assembly (nass) has come under serious attack over Saturday’s proposal for immunity and life pension for the Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana, SAN and Chief Niyi Akintola, SAN, described the call as “insensitive, irrational, immoral and unreasonable”

Also condemning the proposal, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, said the proposed life pension and immunity for Senate President Bukola Saraki and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, was self-serving and despicable.

The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) also described the proposal as unglodly and disgraceful.
The TUC condemned and described as unfortunate the proposal which it said is coming at a time the economy has collapsed and brought about massive job losses and unprecedented poverty.
The Congress also insists that those who violate the law no matter how highly placed should face the wrath of the law.
Some Senators made the proposal during a constitution review retreat organised by the Senate Adhoc Committee on Constitution Review in Lagos on Saturday.

According to Falana, the proposal at a time many state governments were unable to pay workers’ salaries depicted high level of insensitivity.

“The proposals for immunity and life pension for the principal officers of the National Assembly are insensitive, irrational and immoral.

Read also: Reps sex scandal: He who alleges must prove, Dogara asserts

“Indeed, it is the height of insensitivity for legislators to propose life pension for their leaders at a time that workers are owed arrears of salaries in many states of the federation.

“The proposal to confer immunity on legislators is provocative, to say the least. No serious nation can grant immunity to legislators who have been linked with criminal diversion of public funds, forgery and rape.

“We can assure the concerned members of the public that the satanic proposals of the legislators will not succeed. It is pertinent to inform the legislators that the members of the human rights community have resolved to mobilise the Nigerian people to reject both proposals.”

Akintola, on his part said: “I don’t think any reasonable person should be demanding immunity for legislators. I don’t know anywhere else it is done. In fact, in some countries, even the President and Vice-President are not immune against corruption. Some Nigerians always want to do things in an absurd way.

“Nigerian public will rise against it. Every right thinking Nigerians should rise against it.”
However, Akintola recommended “regulated pension without any allowance but just the basic salary” for the presiding officers that had spent a minimum of three terms of 12 years in the National Assembly.

In its reaction, SERAP in a statement signed on Sunday by its Executive Director, Adetokunbo Mumuni, said the demand was gross injustice and double jeopardy for millions of Nigerian pensioners, who continued to be denied the fruit of their labour at their old age.

The group insisted that the proposal “is the calculated use of legislative powers to alter the 1999 Constitution in their favour so that they can enjoy life benefits at the expense of millions of economically and socially-disadvantaged Nigerians who voted them into office.

“Granting senators and members of the House of Representatives immunity and life pension would neither enhance governance, accountability nor contribute to the betterment of Nigerians.”

RipplesNigeria …without borders, without fears

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now