Relief for president, governors as bill against immunity fails

An attempt to lift the immunity against prosecution being enjoyed by the president, vice president, state governors and their deputies has suffered a setback in the Senate.

The Guardian learnt that the Senate has suspended the consideration of the bill which sought to amend Section 308 (2) of the 1999 Constitution to allow for the prosecution of the affected leaders on matters relating to economic and financial crimes even when in office.

Sponsored by Ovie Omo-Agege (Labour Party, Delta State), the Senate Bill 329 which has already been gazetted and introduced to the lawmakers was referred to the committee on constitution review chaired by the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu last December.

The Guardian learnt that the bill suffered the setback because it was introduced to the Senate after the constitution review committee had submitted a report on the key amendments to be effected in the life of the Eighth National Assembly. The speculation that the bill was frustrated by state governors could not be confirmed. Sources close to the committee dismissed it as a ‘baseless rumour.”

The Guardian, January 5, 2017

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